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Home My WebLink About20160125 UC Minutes UTILITY COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES January 25, 2016 CALL TO ORDER Pursuant to due call and norice thereof the regular Utiliry Coinmission meeting of the City of Rosemount was called to order on January 25, 2016, at 5:37 p.m. in the Conference Room of the City Hall, 2875 145`'' Street West, Rosemount. President Speich called the meeting to order with Commissioners Connolly and I�1cDonald, Rosemount Mayor Droste, Public Works Director Wrase, Ciry r�dministrator Johnson,Public Works Coordinator Watson, Council Member Demuth, and Recording Secretary Kladar attending. ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS TO AGENDA None AUDIENCE INPUT None APPROVAL OF MINUTES Motion by McDonald. Second by Connolly. Motion to approve the minutes of the December 14, 2015 Utiliry Commission meeting. Ayes: 3. Nays: 0. Absent: 0. Motion carried. OLD BUSINESS 5.a. Splash Pad Water Re-Use Wrase provided a brief summary of the Splash Pad water re-use opuons which were detailed in the WSB technical memo of February 2014. 1�lonitoring of Erickson Pond monitoring shows the daily rise and fall of the water level during Splash Pad operations. It shows that Erickson Pond consistendy returns to the starting water elevation within 12 hours so there is no excess available water that could be used for irrigation. The flow through system to a storage tank is a consideration. A 50,000 gallon storage tank could be installed for future irrigation use. The total cost for the tank re-use system was $276,000 in 2014 and current cost is estimated to be $293,000. By using a storage tank, the city could re-use about 5.5 inillion gallons per year for irrigation at Erickson Park. At the current irrigauon rate, the bYeak-even point is after the 20`" year of operation. A recirculation system where used water is collected in a tank could also be considered. The water is treated and sent back to the Splash Pad for reuse. The expected water usage in the Splash Pad recirculation system is estimated to be 97% less than current usage. The estimated cost in 2014 was $258,000 with an updated cost of$274,000. At the current irrigation rate, the break-even point for this option is after the 11`h year of operation. Wrase advised that the recirculation system requires a pool certified and licensed operator and more daily management of the system. I�fore research is 1 needed into the staff time and costs associated with this option. Demuth advised that she reached out to some HOAs in Rosemount that have pools and they use a company called "Go Get Fred" for their maintenance. Wrase advised that he contacted Mark Zabel at Vermillion River Watershed about potential funding for the water re-use project. He reported that the funding could be up to 50%. Wrase will continue the dialogue with Verinillion River Watershed. Discussion ensued about if funding is becomes available, the City should get a feasibility report on the two options (flow through system and recirculation) for potential inclusion in the 2017 budget. Demuth suggested eliminating the irrigation option as the water savings was so much higher with recirculation. Wrase noted the concern with recirculation system is how it would connect to the existing Splash Pad. There may be extensive retrofits with that type of a project and that needs to be explored. Watson inquired about the tunirig of phase 2 of the Splash Pad and could the two projects be coordinated with excavarion, etc. Wrase added that the feasibility report would pin down the costs of the unknown on such things as staff time. Wrase advised that there is no deadline on the grant he will verify with the Vernullion River Watershed that the recirculation option is eligible for grant funds. If so, the Coininissioners agreed that the feasibility report can be ordered on the recirculation oprion only. The Mayor noted that based on a recent meeting with I�Tet Council he thinks more grants will be available toward water conservarion. Demuth noted that there are not a lot of people applying for grant money at this point and conservarion is a Council goal for this year. The Mayor added that conservation needs to be pushed including educating residents. 5.b. MCES Water Efficiency Grant Program Wrase advised the Coinmission that the City had received a grant of$9,000 toward this program and provided a summary of the implementation and adininistration of the program. Funds will be used for water conservation devices (toilets,washer and irrigauon controllers). City's estimate is that 500,000 gallons could be saved per year. It is a matching grant program with City contributing 25%. The City intends to put information about the rebates in the newsletter, a bill stuffer and on the website. It was noted that the bill stuffer would need to go after the newsletter and the informarion was on the website so there would be no unfair advantage to those customers receiving their bills first. The grant is for a two year term and after two years the City may be on their own to provide rebates. Wrase added that without the grant funds it would be a 16 year payback on the savings but with the grants the payback is reduced to about 4 years. The rebate is limited to no more than 50% of the cost of the toilet,washer or irrigation controller. The Grant Agreement from Met Council and will be on the February 1 City Council agenda for approval. Mayor raised a question regarding second irrigation meters: Does the second meter save water or do residents use more water? He would like a future Utility Commission item outliivng informarion regarding household use before and after installation of second meter. 6. NEW BUSINESS None. 2 7. PRESIDENT'S REPORT President Speich had nothing to report. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT 8.a. City Projects Update The attached project report was reviewed and Wrase provided a brief summary. Wrase noted that there was a meeting last week regarding Well 16 and there is an agreed upon method with the DNR for test pumping. Private well owners are being contacted for permission to put data loggers in their wells. The results of the test pumping may be available next month. Danbury Way reconstruction is currendy out for bid with four planned rain gardens. The 1.5MG Ground Storage Tank is also currendy out for bid. This project has had cost increases and Wrase is expecting a peer review for that design before a bid is awarded. The sealing of Wells 4 and 5 project started today. Letters advising residents of the work were sent out last week. The plan is to drill out partial packing and deterinine whether it can be an observation well. A draft report of the East Side Utilities Study is expected in the next couple of weeks. This will prepare for industrial development east of Highway 52 and provide future access for developing areas. 8.b. 2015 Well Pumping Report The attached report was reviewed and it was noted the City is nearly even with last yeaY. Conservation was briefly discussed and the Mayor added that Woodbury intends to use no more water even with expected growth of 500 to 600 homes per year through education and policies. 8c. Set Next Meeting Agenda for February 22, 2016 Second metexs usage comparison and feasibilin• report for Splash Pad. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to discuss the meeting was adjourned by President Speich at 6:25 p.m. Respectfully submitted, �'�(��.( �,L.-=��5�: Karin Kladar Recording Secretary 3