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General Government <br />that water supply remains adequate and sustainable across the region, we must understand how <br />much water can be sustainably drawn from the aquifers and what effect increases in re-use, <br />conservation and recharge can have on the sustainability and availability of both groundwater <br />andsurfacewater.Manyofthesestrategiescrossagencyjurisdictionsand willrequireimproved <br />coordinationandcooperation. <br />Municipal water suppliers have made significant infrastructure investments in their systems <br />based on calculated water availability and DNR permits. Proposals to reduce the reliance on <br />groundwater by switchingmunicipal watersystemsfrom groundwatertosurfacewatersupplies <br />willcome withsignificantcoststhatcouldplace excessive burdensonlocalresources. <br />The outcomes and benefits of re-balancing the mix of groundwater and surface water use for <br />specific municipalities and the region must be identifiable before any projects are undertaken. <br />The sustainability of our water supply is an issue of regional and statewide significance and the <br />expenseofany necessary projectsthatbenefit theregion should notfallonindividual cities.Any <br />attemptstoaddresswatersupplysustainabilitymust alsotakeinto accountallwaterusers, <br />including municipal water suppliers, industry, private wells, agriculture and contamination <br />containment. <br />The metropolitan region must consider the effects of groundwater use beyond the borders of the <br />metropolitan area on the regionÓs groundwater availability and the cost of treating contaminants <br />insurfacewaterthatcomesintothemetropolitan areaforuse. <br />Metro Cities supports the removal of barriers to wastewater and storm water re-use, <br />improved inter-agency coordination, clarifying the appropriate roles of local, regional and <br />state governments with respect to water, streamlining and consolidating permit approval <br />processes and the availability of statewide resources to plan for and ensure the future <br />sustainability of water supply in the metropolitan area. Metro Cities also encourages the <br />MetropolitanCouncil,inconsultation withmunicipalities,tofind waystore-usewastewater and <br />todevelopotherstrategies toimprove conservation. <br />Metro Cities supports state funding for costs associated with converting water supply from <br />groundwater to surface water and funds to encourage and promote water conservation as a <br />strategy toimprove water sustainabilityandtoimprove andprotectwaterquality. <br />2-SRegulationofMassage Therapists <br />In the absence of statewide regulation for massage therapy practitioners, many cities have <br />enacted local ordinances that require massage therapists to obtain a local professional license to <br />assist law enforcement in differentiating between legitimate providers and illegitimate businesses <br />frontingas massagetherapyestablishments. <br />Metro Citiessupportsstatewideregistrationorlicensureofmassage therapiststoaidlocal <br />law enforcement efforts in this area. Metro Cities supports citiesÓ ability to continue to <br />license massagetherapybusinesses. <br />2022 Legislative Policies <br /> 19 <br /> <br />