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Home My WebLink About20160815 UC Minutes UTILITY COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES August 15, 2016 CALL TO ORDER Pursuant to due call and notice thereof the regular Utility Commission meeting of the City of Rosemount th was called to order on August 15, 2016, at 5:32 p.m. in the Conference Room of the City Hall, 2875 145 Street West, Rosemount. President Connolly called the meeting to order with Commissioners McDonald and Nelson, Rosemount Mayor Droste, Public Works Senior Engineer Technician Anderson, Public Works Coordinator Watson, City Council Member Demuth, Environment and Sustainability Task Force Members Glende and Higgins, and Recording Secretary Erin Fasbender attending. ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS TO AGENDA None AUDIENCE INPUT None APPROVAL OF MINUTES Motion by McDonald. Second by Nelson. Motion to approve the minutes of the June 20, 2016 Utility Commission meeting. Ayes: 3. Nays: 0. Absent: 0. Motion carried. OLD BUSINESS None 6. NEW BUSINESS 6.a. Presentation Metropolitan Council Re-use and Groundwater Recharge in the SE Metro Debra Manning of Metropolitan Council Environmental Services (MCES) gave an informational presentation on Wastewater Reuse & Groundwater Recharge in the Southeast Metro in cooperation with the City of Rosemount. The Southeast Metro Reuse Study began out of the City’s previous interest in a reclaimed water pilot project. Currently, it does not make economic sense to reuse water when we have low water costs and sufficient access to ground and surface water. Manning mentioned the start of this evaluation stems from Flint Hills and what they use for cooling water and the concern with future aquifer levels as areas grow. Manning has met with Flint Hills in the past to see if there is a way to reduce the salt content of the effluent in order to make it usable for their purposes. The most effective way would be to treat the water through reverse osmosis, although that adds significantly to the cost and produces waste brine that needs to be disposed of. MCES’ Empire Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) is a secondary treatment plant (biological oxygen demand and nutrient reduction) with ultraviolet disinfection and has an average design flow of 24 million gallons per day and currently averages 10 mgd. An additional treatment facility at WWTP or a satellite location is needed for use between Empire’s WWTP and the reclaimed water user. Mayor Droste stated it may be helpful to include larger cities like Apple Valley or Lakeville to take part in this study. MCES’ Current Wastewater Reuse Evaluations in Collaboration with City of Rosemount is to evaluate reclaimed water as a non-potable industrial water supply in response to industry requests. From this model, MCES will evaluate how infiltrating reclaimed water may supplement groundwater and surface water in the SE metro. Other considerations are the effect on existing groundwater contamination and the effect within existing drinking water supply management areas (DWSMA). The main focus at this point is quantity versus quality. To clarify, they are not ignoring quality, they are just trying to determine quantities before moving on to an evaluation of the quality. Currently an East Bethel water reclamation facility is being used to treat wastewater at a higher level than any other treatment plant. MCES is not looking to recharge a bedrock aquifer in East Bethel only a surficial sand aquifer separated from the bedrock aquifer by an aquitard to protect the drinking water. At this point the following agencies are included in the MCES modeling: Rosemount, Eagan, MAWSAC, CONDAC, Dakota County, Vermillion River Watershed JPO, and the TAC.. Manning stated MCES hopes to wrap up study by end of 2016, and then come back and talk about results. This study is the first step and by no means does it mean this is what MCES is going to do. MCES pointed out that they have not completed a test on softening water, but the cost for lime softening would be much less than reverse osmosis. Overall, a lot more work and field studies are needed before moving on to the next steps. Manning suggested that a follow-up presentation with Barr Engineering would be helpful as they are better able to identify what data they used to begin with. President Connolly along with Commissioners McDonald and Nelson stated they are looking forward to seeing the final results. 6.b. Summit Envirosolutions Proposal Watson spoke on behalf of Interim Public Works Director Morast regarding the Summit Envirosolutions Proposal. Summit currently has outfitted three of our observation wells and they have provided a proposal to expand their services to all production wells. Summit’s proposal has been discussed among council and staff with no clear consensus of the next steps. The proposal includes a field review and inventory of our current system as well as evaluations and efficiency calculations. The cost for the first two items on the proposal is $7,238.The cost is not budgeted for 2016, but is budgeted for 2017. The City currently does not have an individual on staff that is able to interpret the data. Higgins suggested the use of interns through MnTAP to help assist with these readings. Watson currently works with the water elevation data and has had challenges with obtaining all the necessary data due to equipment malfunctions. The question being raised is whether or not we want to move forward with Summit, when much of the information is available through our current SCADA system. Connelly stated he discussed the Summit proposal with Morast this past week and confirmed this is solely an informational proposal and a decision does not need to be made now. Connelly proposed it would be best to have the city staff work with Summit to get more information about their services for a further cost benefit study. At that point, we can then reopen the discussion. Connelly in conjunction with Nelson concluded it is best to wait for a Public Works Director to be hired, as he/she should be part of the decision. 7. PRESIDENT’S REPORT None 8. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT 8.a. City Projects Update  Danbury Way is moving along nicely. Final paving is scheduled for the end of September. thth  Prestwick 13 Addition and Greystone 5 Addition are new developments this year. Moving along slowly, but are being privately managed by the developers.  Safe Routes to School trail is now paved at Shannon Park Elementary school.  Parking lot improvements at Connemara Park and City Hall will be completed later this fall.  The city did not receive a grant for the splash pad water re-use retrofit project from the Met Council or the VRWJPO We can apply again next year, if desired. 8.b. 2016 Well Pumping Report The report was reviewed and it was noted that pumping was up approximately 25% higher than last year at this time. th 8c. Set Next Meeting Agenda for September 19 OTHER UPDATES The search for a Public Works Director is on hold until a new City Administrator is hired. Demuth informed us that the Met Council is partnering with turf experts throughout the metro; they are looking to evaluate peoples’ irrigation practices. The star tribune will be in Rosemount this week to prepare an article about the project. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to discuss the meeting was adjourned by Connolly at 7:08 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Erin Fasbender Public Works Secretary