Agenda - Council - 07/28/2015 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Master Water Supply Plan Overview Introduction The Twin Cities seven -county metropolitan area is home to over half of Minnesota's population. Securing safe and plentiful drinking water for them, while protecting the region's diverse water resources, requires coordinated, interdisciplinary and ongoing effort. Balancing the region's many competing needs for water by the region's many users is a challenge. Population growth and expanding development are increasing demands on our water supplies in the region. Coordinated planning by local communities, the Metropolitan Council, and state partners will help meet our future water supply needs. The Metropolitan Council Environmental Services division provides wastewater services and integrated planning to ensure sustainable water quality and water supply for the region. The role of the Metropolitan Council in water supply planning is to: 1. Work with regional partners to develop a regional plan 2. Maintain a database of technical information 3. Provide assistance to communities in developing their local water supply plans 4. Identify approaches for emerging issues 5. Review local water supply plans as part of the local comprehensive plan The region's Master Water Supply Plan provides communities in the region with planning assistance - including guidance and tools - for water supply, so that they can take the most proactive, cost effective approach to long term planning and permitting to ensure plentiful, safe, and affordable water that supports the prosperity and livability of the region for future generations. The Metropolitan Council is not a water supplier and has no intent or authority to take over local water supply systems. The regional planning process has been designed and applied to ensure local water suppliers have control of and responsibility for their water supply systems. This chapter discusses the need for and benefits of regional water supply planning and provides a summary of the Master Water Supply Plan, including what it means for local plans to reflect this plan. Subsequent chapters provide details about the goal, water use, sources, issues, desired outcomes, implementation strategies, and roles and responsibilities. Rationale for regional water supply planning The Twin Cities metropolitan area is endowed with a relative abundance of high-quality ground and surface water, which supports over half of Minnesota's population and a thriving economy. Three major rivers, vast underground aquifers, and 950 lakes make us the envy of urban areas the world over. The Metropolitan Council recognizes the responsibility and authority of local water suppliers to provide water. A regional perspective is also important, because the effects of local water supply decisions don't stop at community boundaries - there are cumulative effects on water supply sources and connected resources. The Metropolitan Council forecasts that the region will add about 824,000 residents over the next 25 years. A pressing concern is the impact that future development might have on the reliability and availability of the region's water supplies. WATER SUPPLY MASTER PLAN- Draft June 2015