Minutes - Public Works Committee - 09/16/2008

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Councilmember Olson stated that she thinks the City is taking a step in the right direction in requiring heavier topsoil for new construction but asked if there are other ways to shore up existing lawns so it retains water better. Public Works Director Olson stated that there are soil additives that can be used. Councilmember Olson suggested that the City look into these options and push it at the Environmental Expo and in the Ramsey Resident. Chairperson Elvig stated that at his old house, a company named Sartec used a cellulose additive of some sort to help water retention. Public Works Director Olson stated that people can also punch in sand points for irrigation systems as long as it isn't hooked up to the potable water supply. Chairperson Elvig suggested that the City should also look at ways it can conserve water, like it does at Elmcrest Park. Case #5: Consider Wellhead Protection Implementation Action Programs City Engineer Jankowski stated that the Engineering and Community Development Departments are preparing a Wellhead Protection Plan. He stated that part of the plan is to talk about action steps. He noted that the City has a total of 8 wells that supply the City's water, two are in the East Well Field and the other six are in the West Well Field. He reviewed the maps that showed the well locations, emergency management zones, and wellhead protection area. He noted that the Drinking Water Supply Management Area (DWSMA) is the area that surrounds the entire area that has a lO-year recharge period. He noted that the East Well Field is rated as having low vulnerability for contaminants and the West Well Field has been designated as moderately vulnerable. He stated that the West Well Field has the possibility of water leaking efrom the aquifer above or other wells that penetrate in or near the aquifer that the City draws from. He stated that he include 5 action steps on page 116 of the packet for the Public Works Commission to consider. He stated that part of this should be education so people know what they should be doing with their wells. He stated that the City will also set a date within one year to accurately locate all the wells in the DWSMA area. He noted that for this plan, the City is required to do 25 but, the City would like to locate all of them. Councilmember Dehen asked if there was any benefit in having knowledge of all the wells in the City even if they aren't in the DWSMA. Councilmember Olson stated that this would be a duplication of service because the State has to keep this information about the wells. City Engineer Jankowski stated that the Department of Health is responsible for well logs, which they provide, but there are a surprising number of logs that are missing. He stated that part of this may be because they didn't start doing it until 1975, so the older homes are not included. Public Works Committee / September 16,2008 Page 14 of 17