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WELLIIEAD PROTECTION JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT <br /> By: Steven J. Jankowski, City Engineer <br /> <br />Background: <br /> <br />The Minnesota Department of Health drafted Rule 4722, which will require a wellhead protection plan <br />for all public waterisupply systems. Among other things, the plan will require that the area contributing <br />to the recharge arqa of each well be defined. Because all public water supplies need to meet this <br />requirement and be;cause recharge areas are largely a function of local geography, a number of Anoka <br />County municipalit!es have been meeting to discuss the possibility of entering a joint powers agreement <br />to consider hiring ~ single consultant to model the area geology and preparing individual plans for all <br />member cities. Dakota County recently undertook such an approach to prepare plans for their member <br />communities. Attaghed is a draft of a joint powers agreement to facilitate a similar process. Anoka <br />County, through its [Department of Health, would be the coordinating agency. <br /> <br />You will note that~ the joint powers activities are proposed to be divided into three phases. Most <br />significant is that tl~e first phase will consist of developing a project work plan, selecting a consultant and <br />determining individual member costs. A direct financial commitment would not be required until Phase <br />I! and the City wou~d have the ability to opt out of the agreement at the end of Phase I. <br /> <br />An individual wellhead protection plan for Ramsey's water utility could cost between $20,000 and <br />$30,000. A joint powers approach to this requirement certainly appears to have the potential to reduce <br />project costs, partietflarly in the area of developxng a groundwater model. <br /> <br />Recommendation: <br /> <br />Staff recommends ~,hat the City enter into a Joint Powers Agreement and participate at least through <br />Phase I of the proj{ct so that the cost of a jointly prepared plan could be compared to one for Ramsey <br />alone. <br /> <br />Committee Action: <br /> <br />'No action is being requested at this time, since the draft Joint Powers Agreement is still being modified, <br />particularly the section on how the costs will be allocated among the participating communities. <br />However, a final ve~'sion is anticipated shortly and will be placed on the earliest Council consent agenda <br />for action. ' <br /> <br />Reviewed by: <br />City Engineer <br />City Administrator <br />City Attorney <br />Finance Officer <br /> <br />RB:I 1/12/96 <br />shared\councilc~rbwell.docs <br /> <br /> <br />