From Source to Tap: Delivering Clean, Reliable Drinking Water

Published on September 14, 2026

Fridley’s water system works behind the scenes every day to deliver safe, dependable drinking water to homes and businesses across the City.

“We currently run 10 wells from varying aquifers,” explained Utilities Operation Manager Jason Wiehle. This means that all of Fridley’s drinking water is drawn locally from natural underground water reservoirs. The City’s water does not come from Minneapolis or the Mississippi River, a misconception Jason said he hears often.

After being pumped from the wells, the water travels to one of the City’s treatment plants where iron and manganese are filtered out. Once filtration is complete, chlorine and fluoride are added in accordance with state health standards, helping to remove minerals and improve overall water quality.

Water is then pumped to the City’s elevated water towers. “The elevated towers are what produce the water pressure in homes,” said Wiehle. “This ensures strong, consistent water flow throughout the community.”

Fridley is continually seeking additional ways to improve the quality of the City’s water. At the Locke Park Water Treatment Plant, the addition of granular activated carbon will remove PFAS, a harmful manufactured chemical, in Well 10. This upgrade will provide more filtration capacity during high use months. Well 10 has been out of service since the identification of PFAS in 2016.

A dedicated team of just five employees keeps this system running daily, tackling rising treatment costs and emerging contaminants. Their work supports community health, economic growth and the everyday convenience of clean water on‐demand.