Public water system · MN1190020
ActiveSouth Saint Paul
At a glance
South Saint Paul (PWSID MN1190020) is an active community water system in Dakota County, Minnesota. It reports serving 20,664 people through 6,841 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list 9 violations for this system; 6 are health-based, and the most recent began in January 2020.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
20,664
Service connections
6,841
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does South Saint Paul compare with other water systems in Dakota County?
By EPA's size categories, South Saint Paul is a large system (10,001 to 100,000 people). Dakota County has 134 active public water systems. Its population served is about 7.1 times the county average of 2,920 people per system, and accounts for 5.3% of the 391,319 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Minnesota, the 6,465 active systems average 820 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so South Saint Paul is about 3.1 times that figure.
What does “community water system” mean?
A community water system serves at least 15 connections used by year-round residents, or regularly serves at least 25 year-round residents. Homes, apartments and mobile-home parks are served by these. Minnesota has 987 active community water systems, 15% of the state's 6,465 active systems. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers. 6,261 Minnesota systems (97%) list groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates South Saint Paul?
EPA lists South Saint Paul as owned by a local government. The MN state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 33 of the 134 active systems in Dakota County (25%) are also owned by a local government.
Does South Saint Paul have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 9 violations for this system; 6 are health-based, and the most recent began in January 2020. The violations listed here began between November 1993 and January 2020. By type: 6 contaminant level above the legal limit and 3 monitoring and reporting. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Gross alpha (excluding radon and uranium) (3 of them). EPA lists 6 as resolved and 3 as archived. Resolved means at least one resolving action is on record: the system returned to compliance, the rule no longer applies, or no further action was needed. Archived means the violation was not marked resolved but is more than five years past the end of the noncompliance period, so it no longer counts toward current compliance status.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-01-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Gross alpha (excluding radon and uranium)code 4000 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2020-01-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Combined Radium (-226 and -228)code 4010 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2018-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Combined Radium (-226 and -228)code 4010 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2018-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Gross alpha (excluding radon and uranium)code 4000 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2018-09-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, E. coli (RTCR) · code 1A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2005-11-21 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Gross alpha (excluding radon and uranium)code 4000 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1994-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1994-08-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1993-11-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
All 9 violations in EPA's records, newest first.Labels and codes come from EPA's SDWIS reference tables. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found. "Health-based" marks violations of a legal limit or required treatment.
South Saint Paul: frequently asked questions
Who runs South Saint Paul?
South Saint Paul (PWSID MN1190020) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MN state drinking water program.
How many people does South Saint Paul serve?
South Saint Paul reports serving 20,664 people through 6,841 service connections in Dakota County, Minnesota.
Where does South Saint Paul get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as groundwater. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers.
Does South Saint Paul have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 9 violations for this system; 6 are health-based, and the most recent began in January 2020. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found.
Is South Saint Paul's water safe to drink?
AquaCensus shows EPA compliance records, not current water test results, so it cannot say whether the water is safe at a given moment. EPA's records list 9 violations for this system; 6 are health-based, and the most recent began in January 2020. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the MN state drinking water program.
Where can I find South Saint Paul's water quality report?
As a community water system, South Saint Paul must deliver an annual water quality report, called a Consumer Confidence Report, to its customers by July 1 each year, covering the previous calendar year. The system can provide a copy on request.
Other water systems in Dakota County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eagan | Dakota | 68,223 | Community | Groundwater |
| Lakeville | Dakota | 67,300 | Community | Groundwater |
| Burnsville | Dakota | 61,747 | Community | Surface water |
| Apple Valley | Dakota | 50,300 | Community | Groundwater |
| Inver Grove Heights | Dakota | 34,189 | Community | Groundwater |
| Rosemount | Dakota | 26,500 | Community | Groundwater |
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About this data
Source: U.S. EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and SDWA violation records, via EPA ECHO, as published October 1, 2026 — AquaCensus refreshes it quarterly. See the methodology for how records are matched, cleaned and scored.
Cite as: AquaCensus, “South Saint Paul, PWSID MN1190020, Minnesota”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/minnesota/south-saint-paul-mn1190020 (data as of October 1, 2026).