|
Funding Highlight: Metropolitan Council Water
<br />Efficiency Grant Program
<br />Through the Council's water supply planning activities since 2005,
<br />the Council and its stakeholders have worked to promote water
<br />conservation and efficiency so that communities, businesses, and
<br />residents are more equipped to support better management for long-
<br />term resiliency of shared water supply resources.
<br />One program that highlights this work is the Council's Water
<br />Efficiency Grant Program. Begun as a pilot in 2015, this Clean Water
<br />Fund -supported program has been very successful and was
<br />reestablished with Clean Water Fund support for 2019-2022.
<br />The Council covers 75% of the program cost; the municipality must
<br />provide the remaining 25%. Municipalities use the combined
<br />Council and municipality funds to run their own grant or rebate
<br />programs.
<br />Objective
<br />Support technical and behavioral changes that improve municipal
<br />water use efficiency through local water efficiency rebate programs
<br />for WaterSense-labeled fixtures:
<br />• Irrigation controllers, spray sprinkler bodies,
<br />and system audits
<br />• Toilets
<br />• Clothes washers
<br />Participants
<br />Apple Valley, Bayport, Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, Brooklyn
<br />Center, Burnsville, Chanhassen, Chaska, Circle Pines, Cottage
<br />Grove, Dayton, Eagan, Eden Prairie, Farmington, Forest Lake,
<br />Fridley, Hopkins, Hugo, Lake Elmo, Lakeville, Mahtomedi,
<br />Minnetonka, New Brighton, Newport, North St. Paul, Oakdale,
<br />Plymouth, Prior Lake, Ramsey, Robbinsdale, Rosemount, Roseville,
<br />Savage, Shakopee, Shoreview, Shorewood, St. Anthony, St. Louis
<br />Park, Victoria, White Bear Lake, White Bear Township, Woodbury
<br />2015-2017: ► 19 communities established local water efficiency
<br />programs
<br />► Estimated water saved: 52 million gallons/year
<br />2019-2022: ► 17 returning communities enhanced local water efficiency programs
<br />► 23 new communities established local water efficiency programs
<br />LOCAL SUPPORT
<br />FOR THE COUNCIL'S
<br />WATER EFFICIENCY
<br />GRANT PROGRAM
<br />"Many communities,
<br />including Hugo, have
<br />benefited from these
<br />programs and will
<br />continue to benefit from
<br />the expansion of these
<br />programs."
<br />Tom Weidt, Mayor of
<br />Hugo
<br />"The Program is
<br />valuable for several
<br />reasons beyond the
<br />obvious water
<br />conservation benefits.
<br />The public awareness
<br />the Program creates is
<br />important ... As more
<br />residents become
<br />aware of the Program,
<br />we believe it will be
<br />important to continue it
<br />into the future."
<br />Mark Burch, Former White
<br />Bear Lake Public Works
<br />Director
<br />Page - 20 I METROPOLITAN COUNCIL
<br />
|