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<br /> <br />iA~~ <br /> <br />Minnesota Rural Water Association <br />217-12th Avenue SE <br />Elbow Lake, MN 56531 <br /> <br />NON PROFIT ORG <br />US POSTAGE <br />PAID ' <br />ST CLOUD MN <br />PERMIT #1318 <br /> <br /> <br />3-DIGIT 5SO <br />Am S1 Pt <br />TEDDt"I:.l~ <br />aTYOFCENTERVILlE <br />1880MNN ST <br />CENTERVlLLEMN ~794 <br /> <br />1.1.1..1.1.11'''1111.1..1.1.1111. ..11.1...1. .11. .1.11.... .1.11 <br /> <br />New .Pipeline Safety Rules continued from page 3 <br /> <br />3. For instaDa1ions occurring after December 31,2005, the city must develop methods to make sure sewer and water laterals are <br />locatable. The city could chOose to do this is in one of several different ways: <br />A. By imposing requirements on the installer. For example, before the city approves a sewer or water connection <br />(lateral), the city could rightfully requite that the installer provide the city precise location coordinates, perhaps <br />through something such as constmction gmde "as-built" dmwings. <br />B. By making the requirement to make facilities locatable an explicit term of every development agreement. The city <br />will need to deveiop an inspection program to ensure that this is happening. <br />C. Consider contracting with a private locating firm and make sure that every new installation is inspected, mapped, <br />and located by the firm. <br /> <br />4. The city must provide the means to develop a system for roai"taining, storing, and retrieving information about the location of <br />the newly installed faciliti~ (those installed after 12131/05). (e.g., tie card system. GIS information, etc.) <br /> <br />5. The city itself actually must begin locating and maTlri1\g these newly lnstaned facilities after 12131/05. This may requite training <br />of existing staff or contracting with a private firm. <br /> <br />6. The city may want to consider developing more stringent requirements for firms and contractors undertaking "trenchless" <br />excavation in the right-of-way. For instance, at minimum the city should: <br />A. Require an excavation permit just like other street excavations. <br />B. Enforce the Minn. Stat Sec. 2160 requitement that excavators "pot-hole" when crossing "tnark:ed" sewer and water <br /> <br />laterals." " " " <br />C. Report to MnOPS excavators that are not appropriately "pot-holing." The city should docmment and ~tain records <br />of these reports. <br />D. Consider requitements that prohibit trenchless excavations more than' 4 feet below-grade without specific permission <br />from the city. <br /> <br />All cities must focus serious attention on the new rules. While the rules constitute a significant unfunded mandate, cities should exer- <br />cise their authority to pass along many of the costs as part of an excavation permit process. Cities should also seriously consider <br />increased regulation of "trenchless excavators", since this type of instaDa1ion will likely be the cause of "hits" of municipal facilities. <br /> <br />Reprinted from League of Minnesota Cities, Cities Magazine, July 2005. <br /> <br />