MINNESOTA: ST. CLOUD, ST. PAUL, MINNEAPOLIS
Local Surface Water Intake Protection Collaboration
Background
St. Cloud and Minneapolis each draw water drinking water exclusively the Mississippi River.
The Saint Paul Regional Water Services receives source water from a chain of reservoirs,
which includes three lakes. These reservoirs are augmented with water diverted from the
Mississippi River and a series of wells. The three sites combined serve approximately
865,000 people.
In 2001, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) completed the source assessments for
all three cities. These assessments are available at the Minnesota Department of Health
website: www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/water/swp/swa/index.htm. Three assessment
areas were delineated, one for each public water suppler. For emergency response to
address acute health issues, an inner source management area was defined to allow
advance notice to the water plant operator for preparation of possible shutdown of the
intake. For contaminants that are cumulative in their impact on drinking water users (chronic
health issues), an outer source management area was delineated as an area that could be
realistically managed so that positive results can be expected. The entire watershed is the
remaining area that is managed for specifically identified source water concerns.
Susceptibility is always high for the surface intakes. While drinking water users are now
seeing the completed assessments with little reaction, the public water utilities with surface
inlets have realized that assessments alone will not provide additional barriers to potential
contamination unless some level of protection is developed beyond the treatment plant.
Because the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) does not require the development of a
"protection plan" for surface or ground water systems following completion of the Source
Water Assessment, a number of public water suppliers asked about the development of
voluntary plans that would be recognized by the State. However, if a plan is to be
endorsed/approved by the state and local units of government, there are certain minimum
elements that must be met. These elements are described in a MDH guidance document.
The uniqueness of this project is that these three cities are collaboratively preparing Surface
Water Intake Protection Plans based on the MDH guidance document.
Priority Contamination Threat
The priority contamination threat is from urban and rural nonpoint sources.
Local Involvement and Developing the Protection Plan
Local sponsors of this project are the cities of St. Cloud, St. Paul, and Minneapolis, in
addition to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), Minnesota Rural Water Association,
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and Metropolitan Council. The cities are developing the
Surface Water Intake Protection Plans under the "Upper Mississippi River Source Water
Protection Project" as a Clean Water Act Section 319 Project. The Surface Water Intake
Protection Plan (SWP) has two parts. The primary focus of Part 1 is the delineation of
Source Water Protection Areas. Part 1 has been completed by St. Cloud, St. Paul, and
Minneapolis. The primary focus of Part 2 of the SWP Plan is the Potential Contaminant
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Source Inventory and the development of measures and strategies to manage the potential
contaminant source within the delineated areas. A draft of Part 2 has been completed.
Collaboration among units of local government was achieved through a series of
informational meetings and a field trip to visit watershed projects.
Management Measures
Measures for managing and protecting source water areas of the Upper Mississippi River
include the following:
$ Delineated Source Water Protection Areas for St. Cloud, St. Paul, and Minneapolis
$ Prepared time of travel estimates for the Mississippi River main stem and the Sauk,
Rum, Elk and Crow Rivers and Elm, Rice, and Coon Creeks
$ Conducting the Potential Contaminant Source Inventory and developing
corresponding management measures and strategies
$ Investigating of areas of surface water/ground water interaction relative to the
potential for contaminant transport
$ Developing a formal process for recognition by local, state, and federal government
of delineated Source Water Protection Areas and Source Water Protection Plan
$ Undertaking education and outreach activities to 1) raise awareness of the sources
of drinking water and the need to protect source water and 2) describe source water
protection roles for citizens, government decision-makers, and resource managers
$ Coordinating source water protection with wellhead protection in communities within
the delineated Source Water Protection Areas for St. Cloud, St. Paul, and
Minneapolis so that management conflicts don't arise
$ Looking into the future by identifying and accommodating such high priority land use
areas as population growth centers and areas where land use conversion is taking
place
$ Working in conjunction with local units of government, such as Counties and
Watershed Organizations, to implement management strategies to reduce
contamination to the surface water that contribute to the Mississippi River, such as
the Sauk River and the Crow River
Contingency Planning
As Part 2 of the SWP plan, St. Cloud, St. Paul, and Mississippi are collaborating to develop
a contingency strategy which each city will modify according to its unique circumstances.
The Surface Water Intake Protection Plan must have a contingency strategy to address the
disruption of the water supply due to mechanical failure or contamination if they are to be
State approved/endorsed. A contingency plan is needed to ensure a timely and effective
response to any interruption of the public water supply. The public water supplier must
prepare a description of the water supply system, its capacity, and the anticipated water use
and demand of its users. Potential sources of water supply disruption must be identified,
and alternative short- and long-term measures for restoring the water supply must be
discussed. The contingency plan must present the logistical support that will be utilized to
address water supply interruptions, as well as specific emergency response procedures.
Finally, mitigative measures that can be used to reduce the vulnerability of the present water
supply system must be identified.
The strategy selected by the public water supplier will vary from supplier to supplier, based
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on the situation. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) requires public
water suppliers serving more than 1000 people to submit Emergency and Conservation
Plans. Water Emergency and Conservation plans, which have been approved by the DNR
under provisions of Minnesota Statute 186 and Minnesota Rules, part 6115.0770, will be
considered equivalent to an approved SWP contingency
Measuring Program Effectiveness
The public water supplier will need to identify in Part 2 of the Surface Water Intake
Protection Plan a strategy to evaluate the effectiveness of the selected management
strategies. This evaluation must be conducted annually, or when a plan is amended. The
evaluation strategy will need to encompass the entire Drinking Water Supply Management
Area, be based on the health risk the contaminant presents to the intake, and specify the
approach used. Evaluation approaches include:
• Sampling the quality of the source water;
• Documenting inventory controls of potential contaminants;
• Documenting the implementation of management strategies; or
• Use of existing monitoring data.
For further information, contact:
Bruce M. Olsen, Supervisor, PG
Minnesota Department of Health
P.O. Box 64975
St. Paul, Minnesota, 55164-0975
(651)201-4681
Bruce. Olsen@state.mn. us
Or
Art Persons, Planning Supervisor
Minnesota Department of Health
18 Woodlake Drive Southeast
Rochester, Minnesota, 55904
(507)292-5138
Art. Persons(5)state. mn. us
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