2022 Consumer Confident Report

Welcome to the Silver Bay Public Utilities Department. The Utilities Department is staffed by one supervisor and three operators. The water and wastewater plants are monitored 24 hours a day 7 days a week by computers that can be monitored by our operators at home.

Phone No.: 218.226.4408

Department Manager: Mike Miller

Utility Department Location: 101 East Lakeview Drive, Silver Bay, MN 55614

Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday 6:00 am –  4:00 pm, Saturday & Sunday 6:00 am – 8:30 pm

The department is responsible for both the water and wastewater within the City of Silver Bay. Fresh water is taken out of Lake Superior and is treated as a surface water system.  Sand and coal filters are used to purify the water along with chemical additions. Daily average water pumping is 180,000-220,000 gallons per day, which is about 1/8 of the systems pumping capacity. The water is held in a 750,000 tank. There is a second 500,000 gallon tank that is not in use at this time.

The wastewater plant is located one half mile south of the department’s main office at the water plant. It is a mechanical wastewater plant with a tricking filter which is the main biological reduction unit. Most of the plant is gravity fed which helps keep costs down. The system processes an average of 300,000 gallon/day with a maximum capacity of 900,000.

Tours of the facility are available upon request. Please contact our office during regular business hours with questions or to schedule a tour.

Utility Billing – PAYMENTS ARE DUE UPON RECEIPT

Residential water, sewer, and garbage services are billed on a quarterly basis. Bills are processed and sent out in January, April, July, and October.

Our new and improved bill pay service offers more features to manage your account.  Enjoy the convenience of setting up automatic payments, e-billing, getting email reminders and more.  Let your bill pay themselves-enroll in autopay.  Access and pay your bills electronically at your convenience.  Make a payment online, by phone, or by text with credit/debit card or e-check.  Fees may apply.     

Click here for Water/Sewer/Garbage credit and debit online payments

The current 2023 quarterly rates are as follows: The 1st (Jan.-Mar.) and 2nd (Apr.-Jun.) quarter rate is $313.71. The 3rd (Jul.-Sep.) quarter rate is $323.43. This difference is due to the state-mandated fee of $9.72 for safe drinking water and landfills.  The 4th (Oct.-Dec.) quarter rate is $313.71.  Although we bill quarterly, please feel free to pay monthly.  Please allow extra time for mailing when setting up automatic payments with your bank.

A late fee of $15.00 will be incurred if payment is not received within the City Administrator’s office by 4:00 pm on the last business day of each quarter. Water shut off procedures will begin on late accounts in accordance with the City policies.

We have provided a drop box in front of the City Hall for your convenience. Place your payment and small card stub together, in an envelope or staple/paper clip them together and drop them into the box. The box is emptied daily. Any payments received after 4:00 pm or received on the weekend will be credited on your account the next business day.

To expedite the payment process at the City Hall and to save on resources, please remember to bring in your utility billing card when making your payment in person.

Wastewater Plant Upgrade and Rehab Project

City of Silver Bay has started construction on upgrading its preliminary treatment at the Wastewater Treatment Facility. Click here for details and pictures of the ongoing project

Additional Resources