Public Works
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Public Works |
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city government news & events about apple valley employment resources |
Departments > Public Works > Common Questions | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Common Questions
Recently, my water pressure is low or there's no water at all. What is happening? Most often, reduction in water pressure is
caused by something within the house. The valves on the water line coming
into the house may not be open all the way. More frequently, however,
a reduction in pressure is the result of a water softener no longer working
properly. Most softeners are equipped with a manual bypass valve. To check
your softener, bypass it manually and water will not flow through the
softener. If the pressure improves, the softener is the problem. If the
pressure does not improve, contact the Public Works Department at (952)
953-2400 for further assistance. What causes discolored water? Iron and manganese, which occur naturally
in well water, can cause a rusty color. It is not harmful. Water can also
become discolored from a malfunctioning water softener. I am setting up my water softener. What is the hardness of Apple Valley's water, and what is the iron content? The hardness is 17 grains per gallon. After
leaving the water treatment plant, the iron and manganese content are
both less than 0.008 parts per million. The valve on the street side of my water meter is leaking. Will the City repair it? The City maintains the water line within
the public road right-of-way and the meter itself. The rest of the system
is the responsibility of the homeowner. The City does not provide repair
service. The Utilities Division will shut off the water at the curb box
if needed for a repair. In an emergency situation, call the Public Works
Department at (952) 953-2400 or, if it is an evening or weekend, the Dakota
County Communications Center (DCC) at (952) 322-2323 so a maintenance
worker can be dispatched to shut off your water. If your repair is not
an emergency, please call the Public Works Department at least 24 hours
before the repair is to be made to schedule the water shut off. The curb
box will be located ahead of time and checked for operability. A maintenance
worker will meet with you or your representative at the scheduled time
to shut off the water. Who is responsible for maintaining the sewer line to my home? The homeowner is responsible for any service line blockage between the home and the City sewer main. This includes debris and tree roots. The homeowner is responsible for any repairs on the service line from the home to and including the connection at the property line. The City will repair sewer lines located within the public road right-of-way. How can I help decrease the chances of freezing a water line? If you are going away on vacation in the winter, avoid turning your thermostat down as far as it will go. If the temperature falls too low in the basement where water service enters your home, your water meter or pipes might freeze and burst, resulting in water damage to your home. If your water meter freezes, you will be responsible for the charge for repair or replacing the meter. If you remodel your home, make sure that the water meter and water service entrance pipe remain accessible and are not isolated behind walls where they might be susceptible to freeze-up. Your water softener also should not be in an area where the temperature can go below freezing.
If you are planning to be gone for an extended time, you may want to call Utility Billing to ask that water service to your home be shut off. A $25 fee will be charged to turn the water back on when you return. Having the water turned off while you are gone will lessen the potential for extensive damage should a water line rupture. Also, with the water turned off you may not receive a utility bill during that billing period which may save money. Contact Utility Billing at (952) 953-2522 with shutoff requests. Who maintains the trees within the public road right-of-way? Although these trees belong to the property
owner, the City routinely trims trees on a six- or seven-year cycle. Trimming
is done for the health of the tree and to prevent hazardous conditions
for pedestrians and vehicles. The City will remove a hazardous, diseased,
or dead tree as necessary. Is there a charge for trimming my tree which is within the public road right-of-way? If you cut it down, do I pay for it? There is no charge for trimming or removing
a hazardous, diseased, or dead tree which is within the public road right-of-way. Does the City plant boulevard trees? Planting of boulevard trees is the responsibility
of the homeowner. For guidelines on what type of tree to plant and where
to plant it, contact the Public Works Department at (952) 953-2400. My yard has been painted with different colors. What work is being done? Utility companies have the right to work
in the street right-of-way to lay or maintain their lines. Before work
begins, the company calls Gopher State One Call who notifies other utilities
of the work to be done. The other utilities then mark their existing lines
in the area. Gas lines are marked in yellow, telephone and cable in orange,
electric in red, water in blue, and sewer in green. To find out what work
is being done, contact the utility companies. My street light is burned out or doesn't work properly. Who takes care of it? To report a light that needs maintenance, contact Dakota Electric at (651) 463-6287.
General Public Works Common Questions What
do I need to do to organize a block party or other event closing a street? Please note: No barricades are available for the Fourth of July holiday. Barricades must be reserved 24 hours in advance. The Public Works can be reached at (952) 953-2400 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Once I have received permission for my event, how do I get barricades to close the street? Barricades can be picked up and dropped off at the Central Maintenance Facility, 6442 – 140th Street, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Due to other obligations, City of Apple Valley employees are unable to assist citizens in the delivery or loading of barricades. Residents are required to sign in at the Central Maintenance front desk when picking up and dropping off barricades. Please bring your permission letter from the Police Department with you. . Two barricades are needed to block one end of the street. A barricade consists of two end pieces and an eight-foot crosspiece.
Before you start, please call Gopher State One Call at (651) 454-0002. Gopher
State One Call will arrange for utility companies to mark the buried utility
lines in your yard. It's a free service and could save your life. Calls
should be made at least 48 hours prior to the start of digging. Power
outages should be reported to Dakota Electric Emergency Service at
(651) 463-6201. What is the Contact Number for Public Works-Related Emergencies? (952) 953-2400 during regular working hours (8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) or visit the Central Maintenance Facility at 6442 - 140th Street West. At all other times, please call the Dakota County Communications Center (DCC) at (952) 322-2323 or (651) 322-2323. The dispatcher will contact a utility worker.
Content updated on: 03-Jan-2008
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