Apple Valley
Apple Valley, MN water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
apple valley
groundwater (wells) · local government · PWSID MN1190001
Below EPA's 15 ppb lead action level at last testing.
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · 2026 Q1
Apple Valley, MN is a small but growing city, with a population near 51,221 and the 19th-largest community in Minnesota. Like much of Minnesota, Apple Valley draws its water primarily from Mississippi headwaters, lakes, and aquifers.
Apple Valley's water outlook is shaped most by groundwater depletion — the issue that dominates planning across Minnesota. The 'Land of 10,000 Lakes' still faces localized aquifer drawdown around the Twin Cities metro.
Apple Valley sits in a state that reuses roughly 4% of treated wastewater (minimal programs) and currently experiences moderate to severe drought.
For the bigger picture, see the Minnesota state water profile and the related issues below.
Dakota County water quality
Source: EPA SDWIS · 2026 Q1
At a glance
- Population ~51,221 (19th-largest in Minnesota)
- Primary sources: Mississippi headwaters, lakes, and aquifers
- Drought: moderate to severe conditions
- State reuse rate: ~4% of wastewater
Statewide drought history
% of Minnesota in severe+ drought (Severe (D2) now).
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor
Common questions
Is tap water safe in Apple Valley?
Apple Valley's largest water system, Apple Valley, serves about 50,300 people. EPA records show 0 health-based violation(s) since 2016 and a most-recent 90th-percentile lead level of 0 ppb (EPA action level is 15 ppb). Always check your own provider's annual Consumer Confidence Report.
Where does Apple Valley get its water?
Apple Valley draws primarily from groundwater (wells), part of Minnesota's supply from Mississippi headwaters, lakes, aquifers.
Related water issues
Groundwater Depletion
Aquifers from the Central Valley to the Ogallala are being pumped faster than they recharge, causing land subsidence and threatening long-term supply.
ExploreAging Infrastructure
Much of America's water infrastructure is decades past its design life, leaking trillions of gallons a year and demanding hundreds of billions in reinvestment.
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