FAQs • Edina, MN • CivicEngage

I had water shooting up out of my lower-level toilets and a sewer gas smell. What happened? Who's going to clean it up?

The City's Utilities Department cleans sewer main lines using a high-pressure water sprayer. While conducting this activity, our machine can create positive and negative pressures in the sewer line.

These pressures are normally released through the manholes and the roof vents on the house’s sewer line. If the house’s vent line is obstructed, the pressures will take the path of least resistance. This path can be through your floor drain or toilet. Air is the only thing that gets released. However, it will move any standing water in its path and release sewer gas into your home.

This is not a common occurrence, but does occasionally happen. Putting water in all of the drains in your house (especially lower-level floor drains) will stop the further release of sewer odor into your home. Clean-up is typically minor and is left to the home owner. Keeping your sewer and vent line clean will help prevent this from happening and minimize the chances of a backup caused from a blockage. After cleaning your sewer line, please call the City's Utilities Department so staff can make sure the debris from your line won't block the main sewer line.

▼
Utilities

Show All Answers

1. What is the quality of Edina’s water?

The City of Edina produces a Consumer Confidence Report annually to inform its customers of the quality of the City's drinking water. The goal of the City’s Consumer Confidence Report is to provide information to customers about Edina’s drinking water without confusion or alarm. The City’s intent is to advance consumers’ understanding of drinking water, heighten awareness of the need to protect water resources and enhance the image of the professionals operating the City’s water system.

The City of Edina produces and mails its annual report in June of each year as part of the Public Works Pipeline newsletter.

For more information, contact Public Works Coordinator Dave Goergen by calling 952-826-0312, or Utilities Supervisor Nate Kaderlik at 952-826-0316

2. What is the hardness of Edina water and what is the recommended setting for my water softener?: Edina water has approximately 17-20 grains of hardness. The Utility Division of the Public Works Department recommends setting your softener to obtain 3 to 4 grains of hardness. For a very small percentage of our community, the Morningside water comes from the City of Minneapolis and does not need to be softened.

3. Sometimes my water smells like bleach. Why? Is that harmful? What can I do to rid the water of that smell?: The City uses recommended amounts of chlorine to remove microorganisms from the water. Edina maintains its chlorine level between .05 and .08 parts per million. We test the water every day to make sure the levels are within national regulation guidelines. This level of chlorine is not harmful, but may smell offensive to individuals. An easy solution is to keep a container of water stored in your refrigerator. The chlorine gas dissipates very quickly, leaving no odor.

4. When does the City flush the fire hydrants?

To purge rust and stagnant water from the water distribution system and identify hydrants in need of maintenance, the Utilities Division of the City of Edina's Public Works Department will flush hydrants for four weeks in May. Random hydrants are also flushed throughout the year as weather and water demand allows.

Due to the hydrant flushing, it is inevitable that some residents will receive rust-colored water that could stain laundry, but it is safe to drink. You should check for signs of discoloration prior to washing clothes. If the water is discolored when you turn on your tap, simply run the water until it is clear. Because the water system is a “single-pressure zone,” it is possible that red water problems will occur in any area of the City while flushing is occurring.

5. How long does it take after flushing hydrants for my water to run clear?: Generally, after flushing, it takes two to six hours for the iron particles, which are heavier than water, to settle out of the water. It may help to turn your cold water on medium pressure in your laundry tub until the water clears up. Since the Utilities Department flushes from 6:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., it is a good idea to wait until early evening to do laundry. Always run a little water in your laundry tub first to make sure the water is running clear.

6. My family from out of state says my water tastes different. Can that be true?: Yes. Whenever you go to other areas of the state or country, water can taste different because of different treatment processes or minerals that might be contained in the water.

7. I want my water tested. Where do I take it?: The City of Edina and the Minnesota Department of Health conduct all the water testing required by the Safe Drinking Water Act to maintain safe drinking water in our community. Results are printed annually in the summer edition of Public Works Pipeline. If you desire further testing, please call a private testing laboratory. Search for “water analysis” or “laboratories-analytical”. In order to test water, you need to know for what you want it tested. For more information call 952-826-0375.

8. I have orange spots on my white laundry. Are the clothes ruined?: There can be iron particles in your water that pass through the City’s filtration system and even your water softener. If you get orange spots or if the laundry is slightly discolored, it can be fixed, as long as you don’t dry the clothes first. There is a product that the City distributes at no charge called “Rover”. Rover is a powder form of rust remover. You can pick it up at City Hall located at 4801 West 50th Street or at the Public Works building located at 7450 Metro Boulevard.

9. Is “biodegradable” material “flushable” material?: There are only 3 things that should be flushed down a toilet. These are toilet paper, urine and feces. When grease, paper towels, wipes, rags, diapers or other “sanitary” items are flushed into the sanitary system they create clogs, which in turn cause sewer back-ups.

10. Why do you flush all the hydrants on my street? Wouldn’t one or two suffice?

We try to operate every hydrant in the City once a year to see if there are any maintenance related issues that may need attention.

For more information regarding hydrant flushing, call the Utilities Division at 952-826-0375.

11. I had water shooting up out of my lower-level toilets and a sewer gas smell. What happened? Who's going to clean it up?

The City's Utilities Department cleans sewer main lines using a high-pressure water sprayer. While conducting this activity, our machine can create positive and negative pressures in the sewer line.

12. What should I do if there is water bubbling out of the street or from my yard?: Call the City Utility Department at 952-826-0375 or the Edina Police Department’s non-emergency number at 952-826-1610. Maintenance staff will come to the site of the leak and determine if it is a water main or service line leak and who is responsible for the repair (the City or the homeowner).

13. What is the difference between a water main and a service line?: A water main brings water in a large diameter pipe from the water filtration plants and wells to the street in front of your home or business. Your service line is connected to the City main in the street. The valve is seven feet underground and can only be accessed (and turned on or off) with a special wrench used by the Utility Department. We turn your water off at this “curb stop” when you request your water be shut off for a plumber to make repairs and also to determine if a water leak is on the City (main) side or the homeowner’s (service) line.