Apple Valley, MN Water Use Rules: Leak Reporting Duty (2026)

Section 51.09 of the Apple Valley Code of Ordinances, adopted by the Apple Valley City Council, puts the reporting duty on three kinds of people: any owner, occupant or user of a premises who discovers a leak in a service line to the premises. The notice goes to the Utilities Superintendent, and the deadline is 24 hours from discovery. The consequence is financial rather than criminal on the face of the section: any water wasted due to failure to comply is estimated by the Utilities Superintendent or designee and charged against the person at the established rate.

Who pays for the fix is answered in § 51.23. For water and sewer utilities in the public right-of-way, the applicant, owner, occupant or user of the premises served is liable for all repairs required to any water service line or any sanitary or storm sewer line necessary for connection of the premises to the curb stop or sewer lead. Outside the public right-of-way, the same person is liable for all repairs necessary for connection to the street main, including repairs to the curb stop and box or sewer clean out and any necessary street repairs. The owner, occupant or user must obtain any authorization required to complete the repairs, and must keep the curb stop box or sewer clean out at a height that keeps it at the finished grade of the property.

Repairs are permitted work. Section 51.20(A) provides that no person shall make any type of connection to, repair of or alteration in the water system, sanitary sewer system, or storm water sewer system except after making an application on a form provided by the city and after receiving a permit issued by the city. Under (B), the Utilities Division must be notified when the work is complete, and it is unlawful to cover any connecting line until an inspection has been completed and the work approved. Section 51.21(A) requires connections to be performed by a plumber licensed by the State of Minnesota or a certified pipelayer licensed by the State of Minnesota, although an individual owner can obtain a permit and install a connection by the owner's own labor.

Meters carry a parallel 24-hour rule. Under § 51.05(E)(2), a licensed plumber who breaks a meter seal or removes a meter must notify the Utilities Division within 24 hours after the seal is broken or the meter is removed.