About SPRWS

SPRWS Overview

Saint Paul Regional Water Services, or SPRWS, is the public drinking water utility for the city of Saint Paul and surrounding suburbs. We've been a public water utility since 1882, and our origin traces to a private company formed in 1869.

As of 2023, SPRWS serves approximately 450,000 customers, second only to Minneapolis as the largest water utility in the state. In order to meet this demand for reliable, high-quality drinking water, we pump an average of about 39 million gallons of water per day through our distribution system. Our distribution system is composed of more than 1,100 miles of water main, 10,000 hydrants, and 95,000 service lines.

No taxes are used to support the utility. The utility is self-supporting with revenue obtained through the sale of water and payment for services.

More information on the history and development of SPRWS is available in an interactive format.

Strategic Planning

Mission Statement

Provide high-quality water and exceptional services for the people and communities we serve.

Vision Statement

To be a trusted partner in building healthy, resilient communities through the delivery of high-quality, sustainable water and services.

Strategic Plan

As part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen our services and plan for the future, we are excited to share the 2030 Strategic Plan. This plan will serve as our roadmap for the next several years as we continue to provide high-quality, reliable water services to our community.

Areas We Serve

At SPRWS, we are proud to serve about 450,000 customers across 14 cities. Our service areas are divided into three categories:

Retail: Direct water supply to nearly all residents within a city
- Cities: Saint Paul, Maplewood, West Saint Paul, Mendota Heights, Falcon Heights, Lauderdale, Mendota
Limited Retail: Direct water supply to some residents within a city
- Cities: Lilydale, Sunfish Lake, South Saint Paul, Newport
Wholesale: Water is supplied to the city, which distributes it to its residents
- Cities: Roseville, Little Canada, Arden Hills

Map of cities SPRWS serves water to categorized by retail, limited retail, and wholesale

Governance and Administration

Governance

The utility is governed by the Board of Water Commissioners, which consists of:

Three members of the Saint Paul City Council
Two Saint Paul citizens
Two members of the remaining suburbs served by SPRWS

Administration

The utility has five divisions - administration, business, engineering, distribution, and production. Each of the latter four operates under the direction of a division manager.

Administration
Racquel Vaske - General Manager
Appointed by and responsible to the Board of Water Commissioners. Coordinates entirety of utility operations.

Business Division
Rich Rowland - Manager
Oversees customer service, financial services, information services, and meter operations.

Engineering Division
Rich Hibbard - Manager
Oversees project engineering, agreements/permits office, maps and records, plumbing inspection, and damage prevention.

Distribution Division
Graeme Chaple - Manager
Oversees construction crews, maintenance crews, and dispatch office.

Production Division
Che Fei Chen - Manager
Oversees McCarrons treatment plant, water quality laboratory, dewatering and wash water recovery plant, and Vadnais Station.

Financials

Funding and High-Level Financial Information

No taxes are used to support the utility. The utility is self-supporting with revenue obtained through the sale of water and payment for services. The Board of Water Commissioners was set up pursuant to Minnesota Special Laws for 1885, Chapter 110, and provides authority to establish rates that are sufficient to pay the expenses and costs for maintenance and repairs, and the interest and principal on debt. State law establishes the Board and provides that the rates are adequate to cover the costs of operation and maintenance, and to retire all bonds.

As of December 31, 2021, the net position for the utility totaled approximately $371 million; operating revenues for the fiscal year were $69 million. The utility currently has approximately 262 budgeted full-time equivalent employees. To ensure the highest quality water, the utility continuously upgrades its operations and facilities to the most efficient and up-to-date methods and equipment available. Utility employees are expected to be conscientious, dedicated public servants, and ready to render helpful and courteous service to all customers.

Annual and Audited Financial Reports

2024 Annual Report

Overview of finances and related significant factors for Saint Paul Regional Water Services and it's various divisions.

2024 Audited Financial Report

Detailed financial information for Saint Paul Regional Water Services.

Capital Project Financing Notices

Minnesota Public Facilities Authority Notice: On May 10, 2021, the Minnesota Public Facilities Authority (PFA) approved a financing agreement to Saint Paul Regional Water Services for improvements to their drinking water system. The PFA’s financing package consists of a $15,400,000 Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) loan with a 20-year term and 1.0% interest rate. The project consists of design and preconstruction services for improvements to the existing water treatment plant.

The DWSRF is supported by federal capitalization grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and state matching funds. These funds, together with PFA revenue bond proceeds, are used to make low interest loans to cities throughout the state for drinking water infrastructure projects. Since its start in 1999, Minnesota’s DWSRF has awarded more than 433 loans totaling over $982 million, providing over $188 million in interest savings to local governments and their taxpayers.