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some of the most current and accurate <br />information available on local water <br />conditions. <br />The state requires extensive planning and <br />permitting processes for municipal water <br />suppliers to document that their systems are <br />drawing water at sustainable levels, that the <br />water is safe for human consumption, that <br />they have land use controls in place to <br />protect public water supplies from <br />contamination, that adequate plans exist for <br />emergency and high demand situations, and <br />that rate structures meet state statutory <br />requirements. Those systems are constantly <br />becoming more technologically, <br />environmentally, and economically efficient. <br />City water suppliers have invested many <br />billions of dollars to develop their utility <br />systems and infrastructure in a manner that <br />meets those criteria. <br />Demand and supply sides of this issue are <br />being addressed throughout the state. Cities <br />have established educational programs, <br />incentives, and local water use restrictions to <br />further improve water conservation efforts, <br />while appliances and plumbing fixtures are <br />becoming more efficient in their water use. <br />Furthermore, stormwater is being infiltrated <br />into the ground at unprecedented levels as <br />part of municipal stormwater permit <br />requirements and is being redirected for <br />irrigation purposes in some cities. <br />Despite those efforts, there are places in the <br />state where monitoring data indicates that <br />water may be being used faster than the <br />supply can sustain, particularly in the case of <br />underground aquifers. These issues are very <br />complex, however, and causes and effects <br />are not always easily documented or <br />understood. City water supplies are not the <br />only users of that water, either. Industries, <br />smaller private wells, agricultural <br />operations, irrigation systems, and <br />contamination containment and treatment <br />can all be major drains on local water <br />supplies. <br />Hard facts and sound science need to be <br />used to determine the best courses of action <br />to assure that safe, reliable, affordable water <br />supplies are available to future Minnesotans. <br />Those approaches will vary considerably <br />depending on local water and soil <br />conditions, the types and sizes of users, and <br />the quantity and quality of available water. <br />They also need to be coordinated between <br />the many state entities that play a role in <br />water management and regulations so that <br />scarce local resources are not wasted and <br />efforts are not counterproductive to other <br />priority environmental and public health <br />results. <br />Response: The state should lead the <br />development of sound scientific <br />information on water supply, aquifer <br />recharge, and groundwater availability <br />and quality, making good use of the <br />existing studies, data, and staff expertise <br />of municipal water suppliers. <br />The state should also be working to <br />remove barriers to water re -use, aquifer <br />recharge, encouraging cultural changes in <br />water use practices, applying technology <br />for smart water use, exploring impacts <br />and creative mitigation options at <br />contaminated sites, on ways to incent and <br />enable alternate uses of stormwater, and <br />ways to make sure that all water users <br />play a role in ensuring that water supplies <br />are being managed in a manner that is <br />sustainable for future residents. Those <br />solutions need to keep in mind that <br />essential residential water use is the <br />highest preferred use of public water <br />supplies. <br />Finally, in cases where sound <br />management of water resources will <br />require substantial modifications in <br />League of Minnesota Cities <br />2018 City Policies Page 42 <br />