Agenda - Environmental Policy Board - 10/15/2018

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Within the WHPA, underground storage tanks and infiltration are not recommended. Should contamination occur due to these or any other practice, alternative water supply sources may be required. Currently the city water towers store an extra amount of water equivalent to meet the supply need for one day. There is also an emergency connection with the City of Anoka for additional water needs. A contingency plan should be developed as part of the next water supply plan update to deal with contamination. According to the EPA, a contingency plan should include the following: • Basic water supply information • List of potential contamination sources and location • Mapped WHPA • Firefighting plan for toxic chemical storage locations • Surface spill emergency response plan • Alternative short term water supply • Alternative long term water supply These could be coordinated with existing city plans, data, and management procedures, many of which are detailed in the city's Water Supply Plan, WHP Plan, 2001 Comprehensive Plan, and this document. A contingency plan is also required by the State as part of the city's water supply plan (M.S., Section 103G.291, subd.3). Guidelines provided by the DNR and Metropolitan Council for the content of this water supply plan element indicate the need for the following components: • emergency telephone contact list • current water sources and service area description • procedure for augmenting supplies • demand reduction procedures • procedures for water allocation • establishment of triggers for implementing plan components • enforcement • water supply protection As part of its next revision, the City of Ramsey will amend its 1999 Water Supply Plan to include an emergency response element. The amendment will include all of the above components. This will occur prior to applying for a DNR appropriation permit amendment, which would likely trigger the DNR request for emergency plan completion, as well. Use of underground storage tanks within the WHPA should be discouraged. If underground storage tanks are used to store anything other than water within the WHPA, the tanks must be double -walled and the groundwater around the tank must be appropriately monitored for contamination. The development of a contingency plan as discussed previously should address the management and procedures that would be implemented in the case of a leaky tank. Infiltration practices within the WHPAs will be carefully controlled to prevent any water that has not been pre-treated from entering. Rain barrels, grading, and other on -lot best management practices should be utilized in these areas as long as the infiltration of street, 20-5