Water

The city of Horace routinely monitors for contaminants in your drinking water per Federal and State laws. The sources of drinking water (both tap and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels over the surface of the land, or through the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals and, in some cases, radioactive material, and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity. Because of the manner in which water arrives into our homes, it is important that we regularly monitor our water to ensure safe consumption.

As of 2021, the City had been permitted a 52.1 MGPY allocation from the West Fargo Aquifer. The existing water treatment plant was designed to treat 240 gallons per minute (gpm) / 304,000 gallons per day (gpd), but does not meet future demands of 550,000 gpd. The treatment system has certainly provided water that is safe to consume, but it has also contained secondary contaminants. These secondary contaminants are currently not considered to be a risk to human health, but they do contribute to poor cosmetics and aesthetics that affect taste, odor, and color -- all of which have been a common complaint among city residents for quite a while. 

In 2021, the City of Horace began two long-awaited Water Improvement projects to connect to Cass Rural Water, replacing a decades-old water system that had resulted in the build-up of iron and manganese deposits, both naturally occurring sediments. Although Horace water was deemed safe to consume by the North Dakota Department of Health, the city's water was less than desirable and severely discolored. We are excited to provide the residents of Horace with the satisfaction of cleaner water through these projects.

Mayor Peterson was able to secure a $3,053,000 award from the ND Department of Water Resources plus an additional $1,308,000 to cover the cost of this major project. While utility bills were increased from a base rate of $12 to $19.50, it was because of the funding that was awarded to the City that residents were spared special assessments.