Water and wastewater rates
The Utilities Division delivers quality softened water at a low cost to residents. Historically, Bloomington's water charges have been well below the cost per month of most metropolitan cities' water.
- Water installation and service fees - See City Code, Chapter 11, Article VI., Section 11.63.
- Wastewater service fees - See City Code, Article VI., Section 11.64.
2021 water and wastewater rate survey
| City | Water per Month (6,000 Gallons) |
Sewer per Month (6,000 Gallons) |
Total Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plymouth | $14.74 | $32.46 | $49.10 |
| Eden Prairie | $21.40 | $28.90 | $50.30 |
| Brooklyn Center | $23.09 | $31.05 | $54.14 |
| Champlin | $17.51 | $38.24 | $55.75 |
| Edina | $23.33 | $36.00 | $59.33 |
| Minnetonka | $19.86 | $40.21 | $60.07 |
| Bloomington | $31.10 | $29.94 | $61.04 |
| Brooklyn Park | $21.68 | $42.42 | $64.10 |
| St Louis Park | $27.59 | $38.06 | $65.65 |
| Minneapolis | $35.02 | $35.84 | $70.86 |
| Crystal | $48.98 | $34.73 | $83.71 |
| Richfield | $52.98 | $50.25 | $103.23 |
| New Hope | $53.54 | $49.85 | $103.39 |
Bold type indicates that this city (like Bloomington) softens its water prior to distribution.
2021 water and wastewater rate survey (including estimated cost to "home soften" water)
The chart shows the total cost for softened water and wastewater for a resident using 6,000 gallons of water per month. For those cities that do not provide softened water, an estimated $5.23 per 1000 gallons was added for home softening to give a more comparable cost comparison.
| City | Water Per Month (6,000 Gallons) |
Sewer Per Month (6,000 Gallons) |
Estimated Cost to Home Soften ($5.41 per 1000) Gallons |
Total Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eden Prairie | $21.40 | $28.90 | $0.00 | $50.30 |
| Bloomington | $31.10 | $29.94 | $0.00 | $61.04 |
| Minneapolis | $35.02 | $35.84 | $0.00 | $70.86 |
| Plymouth | $14.74 | $34.36 | $32.46 | $81.56 |
| Crystal | $48.98 | $34.73 | $0.00 | $83.71 |
| Brooklyn Center | $23.09 | $31.05 | $32.46 | $86.60 |
| Champlin | $17.51 | $38.24 | $32.46 | $88.21 |
| Edina | $23.33 | $36.00 | $32.46 | $91.79 |
| Minnetonka | $19.86 | $40.21 | $32.46 | $92.53 |
| Brooklyn Park | $21.68 | $42.42 | $32.46 | $96.56 |
| St Louis Park | $27.59 | $38.09 | $32.46 | $98.11 |
| Richfield | $52.98 | $50.25 | $0.00 | $103.23 |
| New Hope | $53.54 | $49.85 | $0.00 | $103.39 |
Bold type indicates that this city (like Bloomington) softens its water prior to distribution.
Water usage
Water use varies by season and year. Daily demand in Bloomington has grown from a few million gallons per day in the early 1960s to an all-time high of 39.5 million gallons of June 20, 1988. At present, approximately ten million gallons are consumed on an average winter day. Summer use varies depending on the weather; it commonly reaches 20-25 million gallons per day.
With the remodeling of the Sam H. Hobbs Water Treatment Plant completed, the City is now able to produce fourteen million gallons of treated drinkable water per day twice its previous capacity. In 1960, a few hundred customers were served by public wells with limited capacity. As the transmission and distribution piping was extended, these wells were replaced by higher quality treated water. Today, about 25,195 properties are connected to the water and sewer systems. While the Mall of America is the biggest single water user, it accounts for only about four percent of the total annual water use in the Bloomington system.