Regional Feasibility of Alternative Approaches to Water Sustainability
The Metropolitan Council, in conjunction with HDR Engineering, Inc. consultants, will evaluate a variety of approaches to develop sustainable water supplies across the metro area. Subregional study areas are being selected where multiple communities face potential problems with the long-term sustainability of current water supplies, and where community stakeholders have expressed interest in learning more about sustainable water supply options.
Two to three subregional areas are being considered for evaluation. The first subregional area to be identified includes communities in the southeastern portion of the metro area (Mendota Heights, West St. Paul, Eagan, Inver Grove Heights, Burnsville, Apple Valley, Rosemount, Lakeville, Farmington, and Hastings). These communities have formed a groundwater workgroup to address the issue of future sustainability, and they have expressed support for a study led by the Council to examine the feasibility of alternative approaches to water supply. Alternatives to be considered include the development of a joint water system to serve multiple communities based on surface water or alternate groundwater sources, the reuse of treated wastewater or stormwater to serve industrial or irrigation customers, and the use of treated wastewater or stormwater to recharge aquifers. Potential second and third subregional study areas are currently being identified to perform similar analyses.
(c) $1,000,000 the first year and $1,000,000 the second year are for metropolitan regional groundwater planning to achieve water supply reliability and sustainability, including determination of a sustainable regional balance of surface water and groundwater, a feasibility assessment of potential solutions to rebalance regional water use and identify potential solutions to address emerging subregional water supply issues such as the northeast metro, and development of an implementation plan that addresses regional targets and timelines and defines short- and medium-term milestones for achieving the desirable surface water and groundwater regional balance. By January 15, 2014, the commissioner shall submit an interim report on the expenditure of this appropriation to the chairs and ranking minority members of the house of representatives and senate committees and divisions with jurisdiction over environment and natural resources finance and policy and the clean water fund.
DELIVERABLES• Identification of subregional study areas and stakeholder participants• Criteria for identifying feasible approaches to sustainable water supply development in different parts of the metro area• Identification of feasible water supply approaches for each study area• An assessment of infrastructure costs and other challenges to the implementation of alternative water supply systems, along with regional benefits• Identification of cost-sharing or financing structures that would promote financial equity within a proposed subregional water system• A plan for implementation of recommended alternatives, including timelines with milestones to achieve water supply sustainability goalsOUTCOMES• Potential solutions to address emerging subregional water supply issues are identified• The feasibility of potential solutions to rebalance regional water use is assessed• Regional targets, milestones, and timelines are identified to achieve a desirable regional balance of surface water and groundwater
Outcomes will be reported at project completion.
(c) $1,000,000 the first year and $1,000,000 the second year are for metropolitan regional groundwater planning to achieve water supply reliability and sustainability, including determination of a sustainable regional balance of surface water and groundwater, a feasibility assessment of potential solutions to rebalance regional water use and identify potential solutions to address emerging subregional water supply issues such as the northeast metro, and development of an implementation plan that addresses regional targets and timelines and defines short- and medium-term milestones for achieving the desirable surface water and groundwater regional balance. By January 15, 2014, the commissioner shall submit an interim report on the expenditure of this appropriation to the chairs and ranking minority members of the house of representatives and senate committees and divisions with jurisdiction over environment and natural resources finance and policy and the clean water fund.
See 2014 Fiscal Year Proposed Measureable Outcomes.
Final outcomes will be reported at project completion.
(c) $1,000,000 the first year and $1,000,000 the second year are for metropolitan regional groundwater planning to achieve water supply reliability and sustainability, including determination of a sustainable regional balance of surface water and groundwater, a feasibility assessment of potential solutions to rebalance regional water use and identify potential solutions to address emerging subregional water supply issues such as the northeast metro, and development of an implementation plan that addresses regional targets and timelines and defines short- and medium-term milestones for achieving the desirable surface water and groundwater regional balance. By January 15, 2014, the commissioner shall submit an interim report on the expenditure of this appropriation to the chairs and ranking minority members of the house of representatives and senate committees and divisions with jurisdiction over environment and natural resources finance and policy and the clean water fund.
See 2014 Fiscal Year Proposed Measureable Outcomes.
Outcomes will be reported at project completion.