Safe Drinking Water Fee (State Test Fee)

Once per year (July) you will notice a charge listed as “State Test Fee” on your City of Maple Lake Utility Bill. This is the Safe Drinking Water Fee, set by the Minnesota Legislature at $9.72 per year, per service connection. The amount on a particular bill depends on whether the water supplier divides the fee by month or quarter or charges it all at once. The City of Maple Lake bills this fee once annually.

Please note, the 2025 Minnesota State Legislature passed a bill raising the safe drinking water fee from $9.72 to $15.22 per water service connection, effective January 1, 2026. This fee increase reduces the state's reliance on federal infrastructure funds, making more dollars available for local drinking water infrastructure projects.

💧Why does this fee exist?

The Safe Drinking Water Fee was created to make sure Minnesota’s public water systems can meet the testing and monitoring requirements of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act.
In 1986, water systems were only required to test for 23 contaminants.

By 1992, that number had grown to 83 contaminants, including pesticides, lead, and industrial chemicals—without federal funding to cover the added costs.

To address this, the Minnesota Legislature authorized MDH (Minnesota Department of Health) to collect a small fee from every water connection to help cover testing and monitoring costs.

The fee began in 1992 at $5.21 per connection, later increased to $6.36 in 2005, and then to $9.72 in 2019 to keep up with inflation and the need for additional testing. Today, more than 118 contaminants are tested, including new threats like pharmaceuticals and harmful algal blooms.

💧Why do customers pay the fee?
Every community water system, including Maple Lake, is required by law to collect this fee from each service connection. The funds are then sent to MDH, which uses them to conduct required water testing and lab analysis, inspect water systems for safety and compliance, provide technical assistance and training to water operators, and help small and rural communities (like ours) keep water safe and affordable.

💧How does this benefit you?
The program ensures that over 99% of Minnesota water systems meet or exceed federal drinking water standards every year. Thanks to this fee, communities like Maple Lake have access to expert support and testing that would otherwise be too costly for small systems to afford on their own.

To learn more, visit the Minnesota Department of Health website at https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/water/com/scf.html