The industries employed an estimated 753 people. Most of the businesses in Emmet County purchase their water from a PWS or obtain their water from a private supply not requiring a permit. There are two water use permits for industry in Emmet County. There is no power production in Emmet County. Mining Water Use Mining in Emmet County consists of sand and gravel extraction.
Activity varies from year to year based upon construction needs.
Four water permits were issued for mining in the county. The Iowa State-Wide Rural Well Water Survey, 1990. The UHL's test results for the county also show that in an average year 4.9 percent of wells tested for nitrates exceeded the recommended maximum. These test results are based on non-random samples. A study of Radon-222 in Iowa public water supplies in 1993 did not include a sample site in Emmet County.