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Our goal with this Policy Plan is to look more broadly at opportunities and unintended <br />consequences throughout the water cycle and across the region before making costly <br />investments. In this way, the Council will identify the most valuable combination of actions. For <br />example, the Council will investigate whether or not we can more efficiently and effectively <br />reduce nonpoint source pollution instead of or to offset making costly upgrades to our <br />wastewater treatment plants. <br />The Investment Policy sets the stage for continuing to move forward in our infrastructure <br />investments by balancing costs and benefits as we make decisions on the need to spend more <br />on costly wastewater infrastructure improvements or offsetting some of those improvements by <br />addressing nonpoint sources of pollution. In addition, regionally, it is very important to identify <br />how communities could gain some economic and water resource efficiencies by sharing source, <br />treatment and/or storage facilities. In collaboration with local and state partners, the Council will <br />provide recommendations for the ongoing and long-term funding of capital investments. The <br />Council is committed to work with our partners to develop strategies and criteria for funding <br />regionally beneficial water supply infrastructure projects. <br />The Cities of Burnsville and Savage have partnered to share a new water supply source — <br />treated surface water from the Kraemer Quarry. The resulting reductions in municipal <br />groundwater pumping have reduced stress on the state -protected Savage Fen. <br />Investment Policy: <br />The Council will strive to maximize regional benefits from regional investments. <br />Implementation Strategies: <br />• Invest in nonpoint-source pollution control when the cost and long-term benefits are <br />favorable compared to further upgrading wastewater treatment. <br />• Consider pollutant trading or off -set opportunities with nonpoint-sources of pollution <br />when cost-effective and environmentally beneficial. <br />• Invest in wastewater reuse when justified by the benefits for supplementing groundwater <br />and surface water as sources of water to support regional growth, and by the benefits for <br />maintaining water quality. <br />• Potentially invest strategically to further the effectiveness of the region's nonpoint-source <br />pollution prevention and control program and to ensure efficient investment to achieve <br />regional water quality objectives. <br />• Support cost-effective investments in water supply infrastructure to promote sustainable <br />use and protect the region's water supplies by: <br />- Developing criteria to identify water supply projects with regional benefit. <br />- Promoting equitable cost-sharing structure(s) for regionally -beneficial water <br />supply development projects. <br />- Supporting cost -benefit analyses of alternative water supply options. <br />- Identifying funding mechanisms for regionally -beneficial water supply <br />development projects. <br />27 <br />