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Mr. Schwartz advised that there is an effort by the Office of Pipeline Safety and <br />the MN Legislators that owners of water and sewer systems become fully <br />responsible for laterals as well. Mr. Schwartz advised that the position of both the <br />Metropolitan Council and League of MN Cities (LMC) is not supportive due to <br />the cost to local governments with this mandate to locate those laterals after the <br />fact through televise and trace every water and sewer service in a community, and <br />due to a lack of requirements to maintain any type of vertical alignment standards <br />for those laterals. Mr. Schwartz provided some examples of problematic locates <br />and resolution in determining the elevation of those problematic lines to avoid <br />catastrophic events such as those previously referenced. <br />Mr. Schwartz provided a synopsis of a typical marking process and permitting <br />required for utilities; those excavations requiring meeting on site; and those <br />excavations requiring hand digging within certain parameters of an underground <br />utility line; noting that most accidents are due to an excavator violating the rules <br />or not "potholing" lines as applicable. <br />Chair DeBenedet noted that the main concern is for public safety and how to <br />ensure that safety in the community. <br />Mr. Schwartz advised that, since the recent explosions, Xcel Energy was being <br />very pro-active and was reviewing directional boring projects by their staff as <br />well as their subcontractors, and had requested sewer line "as-bunts" from the <br />City accordingly in that review of depths of those lines and any indications that <br />they should suspect a conflict with sewer lines and was then televising those <br />laterals. <br />Chair DeBenedet suggested requiring that the City be furnished with record plans <br />at the completion of an installation indicating the depth of the installation. <br />Discussion included tracer location of plastic lines; recourse and liability issues; <br />current practice of referencing OPS rules for right-of--way permits; changes in <br />topography impacting utility locations; contractor and excavator responsibilities; <br />and research by staff on the responses of the Cities of St. Paul and Edina <br />following the explosions. <br />Chair DeBenedet suggested revisiting this issue in 1-2 months for further <br />discussion`. <br />Member Stenlund noted the changes in design standards and structures (i.e., Twin <br />Lakes Redevelopment Area) and the need to protect the City's underground <br />stormwater system. <br />Mr. Schwartz noted that management and maintenance of those public rights-of- <br />way and location of private utilities within them was handled by cities and <br />Page 4 of 9 <br />