Rochester Public Utilities (RPU) is starting to hear from customers that are concerned about their water service freezing this winter. Current frost depth is 32” as of January 25, 2019.

RPU advises these water customers to take the temperature of their water and then continue monitoring it until the frost is out of the ground. This is especially important for customers that have experienced froze water services in the past. Run an inside cold tap and hold a thermometer in the stream for 10-20 seconds for an accurate reading. If your water temperature gets below 35 degrees Fahrenheit, you should immediately start running a continuous pencil-width stream of water from a faucet.

Currently, MN DOT is recording the frost depth at 32 inches in Rochester and Olmsted County. Service lines are typically buried six feet (72”) or more below the ground from the street to the house. Thawing a frozen water service can cost $800- $1,500. The cost to run a constant pencil-width stream of water is approximately $60- $100 per month including sewer fees. If you are going to be letting your water run, please contact RPU at 507.280.1500.

All businesses and residence types could be affected. The age of your home does not matter.

View Rochester’s real-time frost level graph at www.rpu.org. For more information, please contact Tony Benson at 507-280-1534 or email at tbenson@rpu.org.

About Rochester Public Utilities

As the municipal utility of Rochester, Minn., for more than 110 years, RPU provides high-quality and reliable electricity to over 53,000 customers.  Water customers number more than 40,000.  RPU continually investigates innovative technologies to help customers realize the best value from the services they receive.  Current initiatives include fuel cell research, wind power, and photovoltaic offerings.

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With recent media reports about discolored water at Mayo Clinic Hospital – Saint Marys campus, Rochester Public Utilities (RPU) confirms that Rochester water is safe to drink.

RPU is confident that the issue is internal to the campus. RPU and Saint Marys officials will continue to address the discoloration issue and work to determine the cause.

The water concern was brought to RPU’s attention mid-morning on April 30. The concern was regarding sediment and rust or black colored water showing up in sinks and toilets at Saint Marys campus. In order to verify that it was isolated to the Saint Marys campus, RPU flushed the areas surrounding the campus immediately and found no discolored water.

For additional information regarding RPU water, contact Tony Benson at 507.280.1534.

About Rochester Public Utilities

As the municipal utility of Rochester, Minn., for more than 110 years, RPU provides high-quality and reliable electricity to over 50,000 customers.  Water customers number more than 40,000.  RPU continually investigates innovative technologies to help customers realize the best value from the services they receive.  Current initiatives include photovoltaic offerings, wind energy, energy and water efficient equipment, and electric vehicle charging.

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Rochester Public Utilities (RPU) is starting to hear from customers that are experiencing frozen water service lines this winter. Current frost depth is 48” as of February 12, 2018.

RPU water customers are urged to take the temperature of their water and then continue monitoring it until the frost is out of the ground. This is especially important for customers that have experienced froze water services in the past. Run an inside cold tap and hold a thermometer in the stream for 10-20 seconds for an accurate reading. If your water temperature gets below 36 degrees Fahrenheit, you should immediately start running a continuous pencil-width stream of water from a faucet.

Currently, MN DOT is recording the frost depth at 48 inches in Rochester and Olmsted County. Service lines are typically buried six feet or more below the ground from the street to the house. A frozen water service repair can cost between $800- $1,500. The cost to run a constant pencil-width stream of water is approximately $60- $100 per month including sewer fees. If you are going to be letting your water run, please contact RPU at 507.280.1500.

All businesses and residence types could be affected. The age of your home does not matter.

View Rochester’s real-time frost level graph at www.rpu.org. For more information, please contact Tony Benson at 507-280-1534 or email at tbenson@rpu.org.

About Rochester Public Utilities

As the municipal utility of Rochester, Minn., for more than 110 years, RPU provides high-quality and reliable electricity to over 53,000 customers.  Water customers number more than 39,000.  RPU continually investigates innovative technologies to help customers realize the best value from the services they receive.  Current initiatives include fuel cell research, wind power, and photovoltaic offerings.

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On October 16, 2017, the City Council adopted the NLC/USP. Inc. Service Line Marketing Agreement (https://rochestercitymn.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_LegiFile.aspx?Frame=&MeetingID=2611&MediaPosition=1367.818&ID=7961&CssClass). This allows the company to market their Sewer Line and Interior Plumbing coverage to residents in the city of Rochester. Information on this can be found in the attachment titled “NLC Service Line Warranty Program Overview”.

Their Water Line coverage is not included as a part of this offering since RPU already provides this coverage through our Service Assured® program (https://www.rpu.org/rebates-programs/residential/service-assured-underground-utility-repair-coverage-program.php).

If you have questions about RPU’s Service Assured® program or would like to sign up for it, contact RPU at 280.1500.