Living in Backus, MN: what to set up and who to call
Tap water in Backus comes from the Backus water system, which has a clean five-year EPA record (about 23% of systems its size had a health-based violation) and a latest lead result below detection. The nearest emergency room is St. Josephs Area Health Services, 26.7 miles away.
I’m new in town
What to set up in Backus, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.
Power, water and internet
Who to call to start service at a new address in Backus.
Power comes from Minnesota Power
Minnesota Power (ALLETE, Inc.), an investor-owned utility, serves all of Backus. Its homes paid an average of 15.9¢ per kWh in 2025, about $107 a month (its average across Minnesota).
Start or move service: mnpower.com · (218) 722-2625
Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.
Water comes from Backus water system
The Backus water system supplies almost all of Backus. It draws ground water and serves 267 people in all.
No health-based violations reported to EPA in the five years to October 2026, like 77% of the 15,074 systems serving 101–500 people.
The latest lead result on file, the 90th percentile of homes sampled in Jan 2021–Dec 2023, was 0.0 ppb, below the 15 ppb action level that applied. Results below detection are reported as 0, so 0 doesn’t mean no lead at any tap.
The system’s full record: EPA ECHO report
EPA SDWIS via Envirofacts (violations pulled Oct 9, 2026) and ECHO (lead samples, 2026Q3); service area: EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3.0. Violations are counted by the start of their compliance period. MN1110002.
3 home internet providers serve Backus
96% of 185 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 94% can get fiber.
| Provider | Technology | Addresses | Fastest (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| TDS Telecom | Fiber, DSL | 99% | 1,000/1,000 |
| Spectrum | Cable | 91% | 1,000/1,000 |
| T-Mobile | Fixed wireless | 59% | 100/20 |
FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.
We don’t have Backus’ trash rules yet
Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Backus.
Where your child goes to school
Public school districts and the school path by grade.
Backus is in Pine River-Backus Public School District.
Test scores and every school: see Schools →U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.
Town hall and registering to vote
Who to call, and how to register.
Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Jun 2025; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Backus is in ZIP code 56435
ZIP codes where Backus residents live, with the share of the town in each.
| ZIP | Post office name | Share of Backus | ZIP’s residents in Backus |
|---|---|---|---|
| 56435 | Backus, MN | 100% | 10% |
Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.
Getting around, the ER and the library
One line each; the subject pages have the rest.
ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.
Questions about living in Backus
Who supplies Backus’ drinking water, and has it had violations?
The Backus water system (EPA ID MN1110002). It reported no health-based violations to EPA in the five years to October 2026; 77% of systems its size had none. Its latest lead 90th percentile was 0.0 ppb (Jan 2021–Dec 2023), against a 15 ppb action level.
Who provides electricity in Backus?
Minnesota Power (ALLETE, Inc.), an investor-owned utility. Its homes paid about 15.9¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).
What internet providers serve Backus?
TDS Telecom, Spectrum, T-Mobile (FCC, as of December 2025).
What ZIP codes are in Backus?
56435. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
What school district is Backus in?
Pine River-Backus Public School District.
How do I register to vote in Backus?
In Minnesota you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (received 21 days before). Elections here are run by the Cass County Auditor-Treasurer's Office. Check your registration at mnvotes.sos.state.mn.us.
Sources & dates
Every answer above names its source. Here they are with their dates.
- Water: EPA SDWIS (Envirofacts, pulled Oct 9, 2026), ECHO SDWA 2026Q3, EPA CWS Service Area Boundaries v3.0.
- Power: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map Aug 2023); EIA-861 final 2025.
- Trash: OpenStreetMap, Geofabrik extract of Oct 9, 2026. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
- ZIP codes: Census 2020 ZCTA relationship files; GeoNames postal codes (CC BY 4.0).
- Schools: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25.
- Registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024 (read Oct 10, 2026). Official sites and area codes: Wikidata.
- Election office: FVAP local election office directory (fetched Oct 10, 2026; each record dated), EAC EAVS 2024 jurisdictions; registration and lookup links from vote.gov’s state data, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- Internet: FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025.