Feasibility Assessment of Approaches to Water Sustainability in the Northeast Metro
The State Fiscal Year 2014-2015 Clean Water Fund appropriation identified the northeast metro as an area where potential solutions are needed to address emerging water supply issues. The Metropolitan Council, in conjunction with S.E.H. consultants, evaluated water supply approaches to serve the northeastern part of the Twin Cities metropolitan area. A subregional study areas was selected based on the indication of potential problems with the long-term sustainability of current water supplies, as well as expressed interest by community stakeholders. These communities have formed a groundwater workgroup to address the issue of future sustainability, and expressed support for this work to examine the feasibility of water supply approaches. This effort considered approaches that include connection to Saint Paul Regional Water Services to supply drinking water, development of a raw water connection to a new subregional treatment plant, and direct augmentation of White Bear Lake with river water.
$400,000 in 2015 from the clean water fund is to develop a plan for the North and East Metro Groundwater Management Area and to predesign preferred long-term solutions to address regional water supply and sustainability issues, including enhancing surface waters, in collaboration with the commissioner of natural resources. The plan, incorporating standard engineering practices, must address construction, operation, and maintenance of infrastructure needed to implement the preferred solutions and, in consultation with the Public Facilities Authority, include recommendations for funding that would fairly allocate the costs to users and other beneficiaries. As the plan is developed, the council must meet periodically with the local water supply work group to review details of the plan. This appropriation is available until June 30, 2015. $100,000 in 2015 from the clean water fund is to investigate, in collaboration with the Board of Water and Soil Resources and the Pollution Control Agency, the feasibility of collecting and treating storm water in the North and East Metro Groundwater Management Area to enhance surface waters and groundwater recharge. $50,000 in 2015 from the clean water fund is to partner with the University of Minnesota's Minnesota Technical Assistance Program (MNTAP) to identify opportunities for industrial water users to reduce or reuse their water consumption within the North and East Metro Groundwater Management Area.
• The feasibility of potential solutions to rebalance regional water use is assessed• Potential solutions to address emerging subregional water supply issues are identified• Regional and subregional targets and timelines are identified to achieve a desirable balance of surface water and groundwater• Short- and medium-term milestones are defined to achieve a desirable regional and subregional balance of surface water and groundwater• A roadmap for subregional water supply reliability and sustainability will be created that is coordinated with other program outcomes
Outcomes will be reported at project completion.
$400,000 in 2015 from the clean water fund is to develop a plan for the North and East Metro Groundwater Management Area and to predesign preferred long-term solutions to address regional water supply and sustainability issues, including enhancing surface waters, in collaboration with the commissioner of natural resources. The plan, incorporating standard engineering practices, must address construction, operation, and maintenance of infrastructure needed to implement the preferred solutions and, in consultation with the Public Facilities Authority, include recommendations for funding that would fairly allocate the costs to users and other beneficiaries. As the plan is developed, the council must meet periodically with the local water supply work group to review details of the plan. This appropriation is available until June 30, 2015. $100,000 in 2015 from the clean water fund is to investigate, in collaboration with the Board of Water and Soil Resources and the Pollution Control Agency, the feasibility of collecting and treating storm water in the North and East Metro Groundwater Management Area to enhance surface waters and groundwater recharge. $50,000 in 2015 from the clean water fund is to partner with the University of Minnesota's Minnesota Technical Assistance Program (MNTAP) to identify opportunities for industrial water users to reduce or reuse their water consumption within the North and East Metro Groundwater Management Area.
See 2014 Fiscal Year Proposed Measurable Outcomes.
DELIVERABLES
• Final report: Feasibility Assessment of Approaches to Water Sustainability in the Northeast Metro
• Summary report: Northeast Water Study Summary
OUTCOMES
• The feasibility of potential solutions to rebalance regional water use assessed
• Potential solutions to address emerging subregional water supply issues identified
• Regional and subregional targets and timelines are identified to achieve a desirable balance of surface water and groundwater
• Short- and medium-term milestones are defined to achieve a desirable regional and subregional balance of surface water and groundwater
• A roadmap for subregional water supply reliability and sustainability will be created that is coordinated with other program outcomes
Project deliverables provided on the Metropolitan Council website at http://www.metrocouncil.org/Wastewater-Water/Planning/Water-Supply-Plan…