Quick answer
For water damage in South Haven, MN, shut off your main valve first, or turn off the well pump breaker if you are on a private well. For a city water or sewer problem, call the South Haven City Office at 320-236-2424. Then call a water damage restoration company; drying should start within 24 to 48 hours. Minnesota law gives insurers 10 business days to acknowledge a claim.
Do this first
Local water and sewer lines.
The city office is at 521 Oak Ave and is open Monday to Thursday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wright County permits for South Haven, and the county Planning and Zoning line is on the Maple Lake page.
- Shut off the water. Shut off the main valve where the line enters the house. For a city water or sewer problem, call the South Haven City Office at 320-236-2424.
- Make it safe and document it. Cut power to wet rooms from a dry spot, photograph the damage, then report the claim.
- Start drying within 24 to 48 hours. About 56% of South Haven homes were built before 1960, and the median home dates to 1945. Older drain lines and basement plumbing deserve a look first.
A state funding request described South Haven's utilities as in very poor condition, with poor sewer piping causing residential sewer backups and a failed storm system causing flooding.
What to know about water damage in South Haven
$7.5 million
The cost of the first phase of South Haven's utility rebuild in fall 2022: a new well, well house, water tower, and main lift station.
Source: Minnesota House funding request
Freezes and precipitation
The NOAA weather station at Kimball, about 6.0 miles away, averages 168.0 nights a year at or below 32°F and 103.0 at or below 20°F. In half of years the first freeze comes by October 5 and the last one after May 2. Pipes in outside walls, unheated basements, and crawlspaces are the first to split. It also averages 30.8 inches of precipitation a year, counting melted snow.
Water main next
The second phase, about $3.5 million, replaces water main. A third phase, about $4.1 million, adds filters and a stormwater outlet and still needs funding.
Source: Minnesota House funding request
A railroad town
South Haven was platted in 1888 when the railroad arrived, and its post office opened in 1887. It incorporated in 1902.
Source: Wikipedia
How it was named
The name comes from Southside Township and Fair Haven Township, to the north.
Source: Wikipedia
Homes in South Haven
The median home dates to 1945, and about 12% are mobile homes. About 84% are owner-occupied, with a median value near $194,600.
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Cost and insurance in South Haven
How much does water damage restoration cost in South Haven?
Most jobs run $450 to $16,000 (Angi). Storm water that reaches the house from outside is a flood loss, which needs a separate flood policy. Sewer backups have been a known problem in South Haven. After one, have the line from the house to the street checked, and ask about a backwater valve.
Water removal and restoration in South Haven
The company that answers handles sewer backups, older drain line failures, basement leaks, mobile home plumbing leaks, and frozen pipes, plus burst pipes, appliance leaks, drying, and septic backups.
South Haven questions
Who do I call about a South Haven water or sewer problem?
The South Haven City Office, at 320-236-2424.
Why have South Haven homes had sewer backups?
A state funding request cited poor sewer piping as the cause of residential sewer backups.
What did South Haven's 2022 utility project build?
A new well, well house, water tower, and main lift station, for about $7.5 million.
How old are South Haven homes?
The median home dates to 1945, and about 56% were built before 1960.
Related guides
Other Minnesota towns- Burst pipe, not frozen
- Water mitigation vs. restoration
- Burst pipe repair cost
- Minnesota insurance claim rules, in plain English
- Frozen and burst pipes: what to do
- Does homeowners insurance cover water damage?
- How long water damage takes to dry
Local phone numbers checked November 2026: