ROCHESTER — A deeper groundwater option for Rochester’s next source of drinking water is showing promise, but it’s too early to rule out tapping surface water as far away as the Mississippi River.
Rochester Public Utilities Director of Water Service Todd Blomstrom said early studies show the Mount Simon Aquifer, which is 1,000 feet underground in some areas, could be a reliable water source, but the state has set access limits.
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“You also have to show that there are no feasible or practical alternatives to this source, and therein lies the exercise that we're running through,” said Blomstrom, who also serves as RPU’s assistant general manager of operations.
While initial studies have focused on groundwater options, he said further studies are needed to look at surface options, ranging from the Zumbro River to the Mississippi River.
“There's not a lot of options here for Rochester, based on where we sit geographically in the state,” he said.
The search for options comes after a 2024 Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
into the Jordan Aquifer, which has provided local drinking water for more than a century.
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