Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community and City of Prior Lake open joint water treatment plant

PRIOR LAKE, MN, OCT 21, 2019 -- Representatives from the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC) and City of Prior Lake recently celebrated the opening of a new joint South Area Water Treatment Plant. The new facility will serve both the tribe and city, helping to maximize efficiencies and protect regional groundwater.

“Protecting our natural resources and preparing for the future of our tribe is critical to both the SMSC and the City or Prior Lake,” said SMSC Chairman Charles R. Vig. “We’re proud to come together around these shared goals to create this facility, which will benefit our communities and protect groundwater from overuse and pollution.”

The new South Area Water Treatment Plant is located at 2017 154th St. W in Prior Lake. The City of Prior Lake and SMSC water systems are connected, and the SMSC provides additional water to Prior Lake via the existing North Area and new South Area Water Treatment Plants. The City of Prior Lake can request water as needed via the integrated control systems, allowing these separate systems to operate as one. The South Area Water Treatment Plant is designed to allow for future expansion when the city determines that increased water supply is necessary.

“This project speaks to the strength and importance of our city’s relationship with the SMSC,” said Prior Lake Mayor Kirt Briggs. “We’re thankful to the SMSC for working with us to make this much-needed facility a reality.”

The facility is covered in the SMSC and City of Prior Lake’s long-term water agreement, signed in 2017. Per the new agreement, the City of Prior Lake has the right to purchase water from the SMSC in amounts up to 2.2 million gallons each day.