Reducing Water Use on Twin Cities Lawns through Assessment, Research, and Demonstration

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2016 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$30,648
2017 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$61,296
2018 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$55,608
2019 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$99,840
Fund Source
Clean Water Fund
Recipient
Metropolitan Council/University of Minnesota
Recipient Type
Local/Regional Government
Public College/University
Status
In Progress
Start Date
February 2016
Activity Type
Assessment/Evaluation
Demonstration/Pilot Project
Education/Outreach/Engagement
Research
Counties Affected
Anoka
Carver
Dakota
Hennepin
Ramsey
Scott
Washington
Anoka
Carver
Dakota
Hennepin
Ramsey
Scott
Washington
Project Overview

The Metropolitan Council, in conjunction with the University of Minnesota, is evaluating outdoor water use in the Twin Cities metro region - a subject which has come under the spotlight recently due to concerns related to water quality and quantity issues. In the Twin Cities, 20% of all treated drinking water is used outdoors, with a majority of this being used on lawns and landscapes. The goal of this proposal is to reduce water use in the home landscape by conducting assessments, research, and demonstration around the smart use of irrigation.

Project Details

Nationally, water use in the home landscape accounts for nearly one-third of all residential water use, totaling nearly nine billion gallons per day (EPA, 2013). Lawns are the single largest irrigated area in the United States, accounting for over 40 million irrigated acres, or four times the irrigated acreage of corn (Milesi et al. 2005). In the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area (TCMA), approximately 20 percent of treated drinking water is used outdoors (City of Minnetonka, 2012), and summer water use is nearly three times greater on average than winter use (Metropolitan Council, 2014).

The objectives of this project are:
1) Assess lawns in the TCMA to determine water use patterns, irrigation system efficiencies, age of irrigation systems, acres of irrigated lawns, and general lawn characteristics
2) Use data generated in Objective 1 to inform research and demonstration projects related to in-ground irrigation system technologies in urban settings

Legal Citation / Subdivision
Minnesota 2015 Session Law Ch. 2, Art. 2, Sec. 9
Appropriation Language

$975,000 the first year and $975,000 the second year are to implement projects that address emerging drinking water supply threats, provide cost-effective regional solutions, leverage interjurisdictional coordination, support local implementation of water supply reliability projects, and prevent degradation of groundwater resources in the metropolitan area. These projects will provide to communities:

  1. potential solutions to leverage regional water use through utilization of surface water, storm water, wastewater, and groundwater;
  2. an analysis of infrastructure requirements for different alternatives;
  3. development of planning level cost estimates, including capital cost and operation cost;
  4. identification of funding mechanisms and an equitable cost-sharing structure for regionally beneficial water supply development projects; and
  5. development of subregional groundwater models.
2016 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$30,648
Other Funds Leveraged
$0
Direct expenses
$30,648
Administration costs
$0
Number of full time equivalents funded
0
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

The proposed outcomes including providing information and demostration projects that will promote reduced outdoor water use in the Twin Cities metropolitan area.

Measurable Outcome(s)

Outcomes will be reported at project completion. Materials developed so far include community outreach materials, survey results, and studies available on the Metropolitan Council website at https://metrocouncil.org/Wastewater-Water/Planning/Water-Supply-Planning/Studies-Projects-Workgroups-(1)/Ongoing-Studies-Projects/Twin-Cities-Lawn-Irrigation-Efficiency-Study.aspx.

Proposed Outcomes Achieved
achieved some of the proposed outcomes
Recipient Board Members
Adam Duininck (Chair), Katie Rodriguez, Lona Schreiber, Jennifer Munt, Deb Barber, Steve Elkins, Gail Dorfman, Gary Cunningham, Cara Letofsky, Edward Reynoso, Marie McCarthy, Sandy Rummel, Harry Melander, Richard Kramer, John Commers, Wendy Wulff
Legal Citation / Subdivision
Minnesota 2015 Session Law Ch. 2, Art. 2, Sec. 9
Appropriation Language

$975,000 the first year and $975,000 the second year are to implement projects that address emerging drinking water supply threats, provide cost-effective regional solutions, leverage interjurisdictional coordination, support local implementation of water supply reliability projects, and prevent degradation of groundwater resources in the metropolitan area. These projects will provide to communities:

  1. potential solutions to leverage regional water use through utilization of surface water, storm water, wastewater, and groundwater;
  2. an analysis of infrastructure requirements for different alternatives;
  3. development of planning level cost estimates, including capital cost and operation cost;
  4. identification of funding mechanisms and an equitable cost-sharing structure for regionally beneficial water supply development projects; and
  5. development of subregional groundwater models.
2017 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$61,296
Other Funds Leveraged
$0
Direct expenses
$61,296
Administration costs
$0
Number of full time equivalents funded
0
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

See Fiscal Year 2016 Proposed Measurable Outcomes.

Measurable Outcome(s)

See Fiscal Year 2016 Measurable Outcomes.

Proposed Outcomes Achieved
achieved some of the proposed outcomes
Legal Citation / Subdivision
Minnesota 2015 Session Law Ch. 2, Art. 2, Sec. 9
Appropriation Language

$975,000 the first year and $975,000 the second year are to implement projects that address emerging drinking water supply threats, provide cost-effective regional solutions, leverage interjurisdictional coordination, support local implementation of water supply reliability projects, and prevent degradation of groundwater resources in the metropolitan area. These projects will provide to communities:

  1. potential solutions to leverage regional water use through utilization of surface water, storm water, wastewater, and groundwater;
  2. an analysis of infrastructure requirements for different alternatives;
  3. development of planning level cost estimates, including capital cost and operation cost;
  4. identification of funding mechanisms and an equitable cost-sharing structure for regionally beneficial water supply development projects; and
  5. development of subregional groundwater models.
2018 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$55,608
Other Funds Leveraged
$0
Direct expenses
$55,608
Administration costs
$0
Number of full time equivalents funded
0
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

See Fiscal Year 2016 Proposed Measurable Outcomes.

Measurable Outcome(s)

See Fiscal Year 2016 Measurable Outcomes.

Proposed Outcomes Achieved
achieved some of the proposed outcomes
Legal Citation / Subdivision
Minnesota 2015 Session Law Ch. 2, Art. 2, Sec. 9
Appropriation Language

$975,000 the first year and $975,000 the second year are to implement projects that address emerging drinking water supply threats, provide cost-effective regional solutions, leverage interjurisdictional coordination, support local implementation of water supply reliability projects, and prevent degradation of groundwater resources in the metropolitan area. These projects will provide to communities:

  1. potential solutions to leverage regional water use through utilization of surface water, storm water, wastewater, and groundwater;
  2. an analysis of infrastructure requirements for different alternatives;
  3. development of planning level cost estimates, including capital cost and operation cost;
  4. identification of funding mechanisms and an equitable cost-sharing structure for regionally beneficial water supply development projects; and
  5. development of subregional groundwater models.
2019 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$99,840
Other Funds Leveraged
$0
Direct expenses
$99,840
Administration costs
$0
Number of full time equivalents funded
0
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

See Fiscal Year 2016 Proposed Measurable Outcomes.

Measurable Outcome(s)

See Fiscal Year 2016 Measurable Outcomes.

Project Manager
First Name
Brian
Last Name
Davis
Organization Name
Metropolitan Council
Street Address
390 Robert Street North
City
Saint Paul
State
MN
Zip Code
55101
Phone
(651) 602-1519
Email
brian.davis@metc.state.mn.us
Administered By
Administered by
Location

390 N. Robert Street
St. Paul, MN 55101

Phone
651-602-1000