Q: How much does Hudson water cost per gallon?

Our rate document by clicking here.

Q: How does Hudson water quality and rates compare to other communities.
         
Hudson Public Utility exceeds all water quality standards for state and federal regulations, and we have received many awards from numerous agencies for our water quality.  A link to the Utility’s Water Quality Report is on the home page and is also available at City Hall.

Our rates are comparable or lower than most surrounding communities.

Q: Do we get our water from the St. Croix River?

NO! Our water comes from underground aquifers.  Our wells are 380 – 600+ feet deep.

Q: You say we have great water, but at times I have experienced otherwise, why?
         
The Utility has made it a policy, whenever possible, to loop water mains to existing mains to ensure a constant flow of water in your area. Sometimes this is not economically or physically feasible, so occasionally we need to flush mains to maintain water quality. To accomplish this, you may see a Utility operator opening a fire hydrant to flush out a section of main with low use. Although you may experience aesthetic quality issues, rest assured your water is safe. If you have any questions about this, or want to report a quality issue, please call our office at 386.4760.

Q: How much water does the Hudson Well system produce a day?
         
The combined pumping capacity of all the Utility’s wells is 5.7 million gallons a day (mg/day).  The average daily demand during the winter is approximately 2.1 mg/day.  During the summer, demand has exceeded 5.0 mg/day during hot spells, but typically daily demand is approximately 3.5 mg/day.

Q: Why is my Utility Bill so high this quarter?

Utility bills are based on meter readings indicating the amount of water delivered to our customers.  The typical usage for a single-family residence is approximately 250 gallons/day (without lawn irrigation), or 7,500 gallons/month.  The most common reasons for high water usage are excessive lawn irrigation and leaky plumbing fixtures.

There are a number of things homeowners can do to reduce your Utility bill.  Check around your home for running toilets, leaky showers and sink faucets, and appliances (water softeners, refrigerators, dish washers, etc.). Maintained plumbing and properly working appliances will save energy, resources, and money.

A running toilet will waste from 2-6 gallons of water a minute.  A ⅛” inch leak wastes almost 100,000 gallons of water a month.

For more water saving tips see “How to Save $$$” on the home page.

Q: Does the city have any watering restrictions or bans?
         
Not at the present time. However, many communities do have them in place to ensure demand does not exceed supply.  New water well/treatment plant construction is very expensive and the goal of the Utility is to provide the best possible water quality at low rates.  Our rates have not increased in almost 15 years, and your help is needed in keeping it that way.  As mentioned above, one reason for high water usage is excessive lawn irrigation.  With this in mind, we ask that you voluntarily water your lawn using an “odd/even” method. If your address ends in an odd number, water on an odd number date and if your address ends with an even number, water on an even number date.

Q: I have no or low water pressure in my house.  Is one of the Utility’s wells out of service?

No, water pressure is dependent on our water towers, not what’s pumped from the ground.  There may be a main break in your area, or the service line to your house may have a leak or break.  If it is the service line to your house, you are responsible for repair or replacing it.  If you have a drop in pressure please call us at 386-4760, as soon as possible, so we can determine the cause.

Q:  Who do I call about water main break or a fire hydrant leak?

If you see a water main break or a leaking fire hydrant, the emergency contact telephone numbers are available by clicking the “Contact” link at the top of this page.

Q:  What happens if I’m late paying my Utility bill?

A 1% penalty is added each month on any unpaid balance after the date noted.  A Utility bill unpaid as of November 15 of each year, plus 10% surcharge, shall be placed on the property owner's tax statement.