New to Prior Lake? Start Here
Whether you just closed on a house, signed a lease, or you’re still deciding — here’s the short list of things you’ll want to know to get settled.
Set up utilities
Water and sewer
Water and sewer service is provided by the City of Prior Lake. You’ll need to set up an account when you move in. The city operates municipal wells with iron and manganese treatment. An annual Consumer Confidence Report is posted on the city website, and water efficiency rebates (up to $100 for WaterSense/Energy Star appliances) are available.
Set up City water and sewer service →
Electricity
Electric service depends on your location — check the map of service areas to see which provider covers your address:
- Minnesota Valley Electric Co (MVEC) — (952) 492-2313
- Shakopee Public Utilities — (952) 445-1988
- Xcel Energy — (800) 895-4999
Gas
- CenterPoint Energy — (612) 372-4720
Internet / Phone / TV
- Nuvera — (952) 226-7000. Local company headquartered right in downtown Prior Lake since 1905. Offers fiber internet up to 1 Gbps.
- CenturyLink — (800) 475-7526
- Mediacom — (866) 777-1670
Garbage and recycling
Garbage collection in Prior Lake is an open hauler system — you choose your own provider. This confuses newcomers, but it’s straightforward once you know. Pickup can happen Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Place containers in your driveway or behind the curb on pickup day. A few of the haulers serving Prior Lake:
- Buckingham Disposal — (952) 226-6441
- Dick’s Sanitation — (952) 469-2239
- Republic Services — (952) 941-5174
- Waste Management — (952) 890-1100
For a full list of licensed haulers, visit the City’s refuse hauler page.
Organics and yard waste
The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community operates an organics recycling facility at 1905 Mystic Lake Dr S. Accepts grass clippings, leaves, brush, logs, sod, dirt, and other organic material. Generally $15 per load; hours vary by season. Call (952) 233-9191 for details.
Hazardous waste
The Scott County Household Hazardous Waste Facility accepts paint, pesticides, automotive chemicals, cleaning chemicals, fluorescent bulbs, electronics, appliances, tires, batteries, and more. Located at 588 Country Trail East in Jordan. Call (952) 496-8787 for hours and fees.
Register your address
If you’re coming from out of town, update your info:
- Driver’s license / State ID: Any MN DVS location — find one
- Vehicle registration: Same as above, or online
- Voter registration: Minnesota Secretary of State
Get your mail sorted
USPS mail forwarding takes a few days. Set it up early at usps.com/move.
Get a library card
Scott County Library — Prior Lake Branch
Free to county residents, with solid kids’ programs, meeting rooms, and a good collection.
16210 Eagle Creek Ave SE · Library website →
Sign up for city alerts
The City of Prior Lake sends occasional alerts for emergencies, road closures, snow emergencies, and community updates. Worth signing up:
Find your school
If you have kids, enrollment is based on your address. Use the district’s school finder tool to see which schools you’re zoned for:
Prior Lake-Savage Schools boundary lookup →
For more details, see the Schools & District Info page.
Parks, recreation, and getting active
- Lakefront Park — beach, playground, walking paths, summer concerts, winter skating rinks
- Cleary Lake Regional Park — just south of town, great for hiking, swimming, cross-country skiing, and the 28-acre off-leash dog area
- Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve — trails, mountain biking, more rugged
- City trails — Prior Lake has 80+ miles of trails connecting parks and neighborhoods
- Parks and recreation programs — the city runs seasonal programs for all ages. Registration opens a few times a year. Check the Parks and Recreation page for current offerings.
More details on the Things To Do and Life on the Lake pages.
Meet your neighbors
- Nextdoor — neighborhood-based social network (most Prior Lake areas are active)
- Prior Lake Events newsletter — that’s this site — subscribe here
- Local social media groups — search “Prior Lake” for community groups, buy/sell, parents’ groups, etc.
- City events — Lakefront Music Fest (July), Prior Lake Days (August), and smaller seasonal events throughout the year
Know the local basics
Groceries
- Cub Foods — the everyday, get-everything-done grocery store most locals rely on
- Lunds & Byerlys — smaller and a bit fancier, great bakery and prepared foods, right in town
- Hy-Vee — just over the border in Savage, an easy drive
- Target — essentially across the street, quick and convenient
- Walmart — about a 5-10 minute drive
- Aldi — small, efficient, and budget-friendly, also a short drive
Dining downtown
A few spots people mention often: Charlie’s on Prior for waterfront dining, PLate on Main for upscale American, Edelweiss Bakery for coffee and pastries, and Boathouse Brothers Brewing Co. for a local beer. More recommendations on the Things To Do page.
Commuting
25-35 minutes to Minneapolis
Depending on traffic and where you’re headed.
- Highway 13 — main east-west route to Savage, Burnsville, and I-35
- County Road 21 / 169 — northwest toward Shakopee and the 494/169 interchange
- County Road 42 — another east-west option
Rush hour traffic on 13 and 169 can back up. Most people figure out their preferred routes after a few weeks.
Seasonal tips
Winter
Street parking ban
No parking on public streets from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. between November 1 and March 31. Also prohibited after 2+ inches of snow until the street is plowed curb-to-curb.
- Snow emergencies — the city declares them when needed; sign up for alerts so you know when to move your car.
- Plowing — main roads first, neighborhoods after. The city offers real-time plow tracking notifications so you can see when your street is coming up.
- Ice fishing — it’s a thing here. Check lake conditions before heading out.
Summer
Watering restrictions
May 1 through October 1 — lawn irrigation is limited to odd/even days based on your house number (odd addresses on odd days, even on even). Water before 10 a.m. or after 5 p.m. only.
- Lake access — public beaches at Sand Point and Watzl’s, boat launches at Sandpoint and Dewitte Public Access.
- Fireworks — the Fourth of July boat parade and fireworks are a Prior Lake tradition.
- Mosquitoes — welcome to Minnesota.
One last thing
Prior Lake is a welcoming place — people say hi, neighbors look out for each other, and there’s usually something going on. Go to a few events, introduce yourself, sign up for a rec league or volunteer opportunity, and it starts to feel like home faster than you’d expect.