2008-07-24_Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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D-1 St. Paul Regional Water Services: Source Water Protection Mr. John Blackstone stated that the St. Paul Water Utility has been in business since 1882, and now produces 50 million gallons of water per day. Two documents have been submitted to the Minnesota Department of Health for approval: 1) the Wellhead Protection Plan, and 2) the Surface Water Protection Plan. Mr. Blackstone stated Ramsey County is experiencing a trend downward of water use by 2% to 3% per year. Family sizes are down, the population of St. Paul is down, and there has been a reduction in industrial use. There continues to be more than an adequate supply. The County is interested in providing water to other communities. Minneapolis needs water because it does not have adequate storage capacity. If an interconnect could be constructed, water would be available to Minneapolis and other communities that need it. The problem is funding and the limited places where wells can be placed. Mr. Aichinger asked how the Water Protection Plan was started. Mr. Blackstone answered that in the early 1980s there was a problem with water quality in the water source of Lambert Creek. The water was treated for phosphorous to reach a ratio of 25 parts per million. St. Paul now pumps water through a chain of lakes but has limited authority to treat water quality. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is testing TMDLs on the main stem of the Mississippi. The MPCA has authority to drive implementation of water quality measures. Mr. Schwartz asked the peak use. Mr. Blackstone stated that the peak would be 50,000 to 55,000 gallons per day. In winter, the peak is 40,000 to 45,000 gallons per day. Board Member Eckman asked the reason wells are more often treated than surface water. Mr. Blackstone responded that surface water is harder to access and well water is more consistent in its content. Chair Stark stated that the Surface Water Management Plan of Shoreview would merge with the County Surface Water Protection Plan. However, no wells in Shoreview have been sampled. Mr. Blackstone stated that would be addressed. D-2 Barr Update on Watershed Monitoring: Progress and Results Mr. Scott Sobiech, Barr Engineering, reported that since June, eight samples have been taken from the Dale Street site; eight samples from West Owasso; and eight samples from County Road C. Better data is being collected this year than from all of 2007. The first two samples at the Dale Street site had high readings, but readings are where expected in the latter samples. County Road C concentrations are lower than expected, but more samples are needed to make a determination.