Bloomington, Minn., Code of Ordinances § 15 § 15.160
PERMITS REQUIRED (Bloomington Buildings and Structures Code)
Operative Text
(a) No person shall construct or reconstruct a dewatering well , environmental well , or water supply well without a permit and inspection at a time designated by the city. (b) No person shall seal a dewatering well , environmental well or water supply well without a permit and inspection at a time designated by the city. (c) Annual maintenance permits shall be obtained and renewed: (1) By the owner of property containing any unsealed water supply well not in use; and (2) By the owner of property containing an environmental well or dewatering well remaining unsealed 14 months after completion of its construction. (d) The fees for permits obtained under this section shall be as set forth in City Code Appendix A . (e) When “emergency conditions ” exist, a dewatering well , environmental well or water supply well may be constructed, reconstructed or sealed, prior to obtaining a permit, in compliance with the following procedures. (1) If the emergency conditions arise during normal business hours, the work may proceed after the City Environmental Health Division is verbally notified and provided with the information required for the applicable permit and authorization from that Division to proceed is received. (2) If the emergency conditions arise after business hours or on a non-business day, the work may proceed with verbal notification provided to the City Environmental Health Division on the next business day. (3) A written application for the work performed pursuant to these emergency provisions must be received by the city, together with applicable permit fees, within five days of the commencement of the work. The person who performed the work shall be responsible for submitting the permit application. (4) All work performed pursuant to these emergency provisions must comply with the standards and requirements of state law and regulations and city ordinances. (1958 Code, § 58.02) (Added by Ord. 194, passed 11-10-1952; Ord. 196, passed 11-25-1952; Ord. 201, passed 2-3-1953; Ord. 37, passed 3-23-1954; Ord. 74, passed 11-21-1955; Ord. 76, passed 3-5-1956; Ord. 124, passed 8-19-1957; repealed and new Division added by Ord. 135, passed 4- -1958; Ord. 71-23, passed 4-12-1971; Ord. 89-12, passed 2-27-1989; amended by Ord. 93-29, passed 6-7-1993; Ord. 2014-14, passed 10-13-2014; Ord. 2017-26 , passed 7-24-2017; Ord. 2019-29 , passed 7-15-2019; Ord. 2021-39 , passed 11-29-2021; Ord. 2023-42 , passed 12-18-2023)
Bloomington, Minn., Code of Ordinances § 15.160 requires that anyone constructing, reconstructing, or sealing a dewatering well, environmental well, or water supply well must first obtain a permit and schedule an inspection with the city. Property owners must also obtain and annually renew maintenance permits for certain unsealed wells that are not in active use. An emergency exception exists that allows work to begin before a permit is issued, but only if specific notification and follow-up application procedures are followed within defined timeframes.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating in Bloomington should be aware that § 15.160 requires permits before any well construction, reconstruction, or sealing work begins on their properties. Compliant operators ensure that annual maintenance permits are obtained and renewed for any unsealed water supply well not in use, as well as for environmental or dewatering wells that remain unsealed more than 14 months after construction. When emergency conditions arise, operators generally document verbal notifications to the City Environmental Health Division and submit a written permit application along with applicable fees within five days of commencing the work.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Tenants who have concerns about well-related work or unsealed wells on a rental property may find it useful to know that § 15.160 places permit and inspection obligations on property owners, not tenants. If a tenant believes well work is being performed without the required permits or inspections, they may contact the City Environmental Health Division to inquire about compliance. Tenant-rights organizations in Bloomington can also help residents understand how this provision may relate to habitability or safety concerns at their rental property.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 15, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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