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Department Approval <br />�. � � <br />Item Description: <br />BACKGROUND <br />t�i � <br />� <br />REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION <br />Date: 1/28/13 <br />Item No.: 12.b <br />City Manager Approval <br />Consider the 2013 Water Consumption Rate Adjustments <br />At the December 3rd and l Oth City Council meetings, the Council discussed potential changes to the 2013 <br />water consumption rates including the conservation-based rate structure. The Council directed Staff to <br />bring the matter back for Council consideration in January, 2013 for final review. <br />During the previous meetings, a majority of the Council indicated that they were not in favor of modifying <br />the City's water conservation-based rate structure and had expressed some interest in eliminating the <br />conservation-based rates altogether in favor of a more uniform rate. <br />�� It was noted at the December lOth meeting that the elimination of the City's conservation-based rates <br />�� would have an impact on the City's Water Conservation Plan which is incorporated into the broader <br />� Comprehensive Plan. When the City submitted both of these Plans for regulatory approval, the water <br />� conservation rate structure was included. <br />Based on guidance from the Department of Natural Resources and the Met Council, if the City wanted to <br />revert back to a uniform rate structure we would need to implement additional demand reduction measures <br />including: <br />❖ Lawn sprinkling regulations such as odd/even restrictions or prohibiting sprinkling during certain <br />times of the day. <br />❖ Monthly water and sewer billing. <br />❖ Residential and Commercial water audits. <br />There are additional requirements, but many of them are already being met. Additional information <br />regarding these measures can be found in Attachment B. <br />At this time, the City is not in a position to implement all of the measures noted above. Until such time that <br />we are, Staffrecommends that the current conservation-based rate structure remain in place along with the <br />various education and awareness programs that have been used in prior years. <br />*� The remainder of this report contains an excerpt fi^om the Decembe� 3rd and 1Oth Staff Reports. <br />Page 1 of 6 <br />