Amid claims of covert actions and bullying, water fight in northern Twin Cities suburbs is set for trial

The city of Blaine accuses neighboring Lexington of pumping contaminated well water into the city without consent.

Lexington, in turn, accuses Blaine of “bullying behavior” and trying to strong-arm its way into taking over the joint water system the cities have shared for 40 years.

The claims are only part of a decades-long drama in the north metro that finally reached a boiling point when Blaine sued its neighbor in 2022 to separate from the system, largely due to concerns about Lexington’s water quality. Lexington is fighting the change, arguing the cities built the system together and splitting would cause the smaller city to lose critical access.

The bitter saga could finally reach a resolution, with a trial before Judge Jenny Walker Jasper scheduled to begin Monday morning in Anoka County District Court.

The outcome could determine who has control over water for thousands of residents in the coming years — in both Lexington, a town with more than 2,200 residents, and Blaine, which has ballooned in size since the cities agreed to share their water. Blaine has grown from a rural community to one of the north metro’s largest at 73,000 residents.

Blaine city spokesman Ben Hayle said officials are hopeful for an end to the “longstanding and contentious dispute,” with clarification on who is responsible for the water system’s maintenance, operation and funding.

Lexington Mayor Mike Murphy said the debate isn’t one for the courts to settle, adding that, “Much of this system was built on a handshake, with the mindset that this shared infrastructure would benefit the residents of both Lexington and Blaine.

“We need to return to that mindset — one that prioritizes collaboration over conflict and ensures that we act in the best interests of our constituents.”

Blaine officials say the city has spent millions improving its water quality, and splitting from the joint system would allow it to provide fully filtered water to residents. Lexington continues to use a single well, which Blaine claims is untreated and has unacceptable levels of alkaline, calcium and manganese.

“Lexington has been derelict and irresponsible for 40 years now, and is not deserving of any pity or sympathy for the fact that Blaine is now compelled to pursue this lawsuit through trial and a final judgment in order to remedy the issues,” a recent trial brief said.

Blaine and Lexington in the 1970s agreed to share their water and build out a connected system, providing water to firefighters and residents in both municipalities.

But Blaine has tried to break off from the partnership since the mid-1980s. The city said many connection points were never metered, meaning officials can’t measure how much of each city’s water is flowing between the two. And Blaine has long voiced concerns about Lexington’s lower water quality, according to court documents.

Blaine has tried to split from the system multiple times over several decades, but due to high costs reported by Lexington and the cities’ inability to reach an agreement, that never happened.

The cities have operated for years on an understanding that Blaine would provide its water to Lexington during fall and winter. Lexington would run water from its well during the high-demand summer months.

As Blaine’s population boomed, leaders said they have added wells and invested millions in modern water treatment equipment, while Lexington has maintained its single well.

Blaine is seeking the ability to control connections between the two cities and measure the water flow. It also wants clarification that it owns a water main in Lexington, which Blaine says it paid for and installed.

Blaine proposes selling its water to Lexington, and it wants both cities to share construction costs associated with separating the system. In a resolution approved by the Lexington City Council a couple of years ago, officials there estimated splitting the system could cost up to $10 million.

Lexington officials have argued that would be an “injustice.”

“The proposed division would not only compromise Lexington’s water security and fire safety but also impose significant financial burdens on the city to replicate services it has rightfully depended on for decades,” a trial memo reads.

Lexington argues that Blaine has pursued “relentless efforts to unilaterally seize control of shared water infrastructure” and the city is attempting to “deny Lexington access to vital water resources,” including wells in Blaine.

Lexington has argued that decades of agreements show the cities have shared ownership of the water system and infrastructure they built over the decades-long partnership. Lexington also claims Blaine has failed to obtain necessary approvals to move forward with a new water system from the state, arguing that regulatory approval is needed before the system can be separated.

Blaine spokesman Hayle said during the course of the lawsuit, Lexington has allegedly turned on its well “despite significant known contamination, which causes some of Lexington’s water to flow into Blaine,” forcing the city to advise residents of possible problems.

The smaller city has accused Blaine of “aggressive tactics,” including covertly sending crews across city lines to try to cut off water connections without authorization.

Lexington claims it’s a pattern “aimed at exerting dominance and potentially forcing Lexington into an inequitable and harmful separation.”