This work group will be developing a comprehensive plan to ensure communities in the White Bear Lake area have access to sufficient safe drinking water to allow for municipal growth while simultaneously ensuring the sustainability of surface water and groundwater resources to supply the needs of future generations.
The comprehensive plan must:
- Evaluate methods for conserving and recharging groundwater in the area including:
- Converting water supplies that are groundwater dependent to total or partial supplies from surface water sources
- Reusing water, including water discharged from contaminated wells
- Projects designed to increase groundwater recharge
- Other methods for reducing groundwater use
- Based on this evaluation, determine which existing groundwater supply wells, if converted to surface water sources, would be most effective and efficient in ensuring future water sustainability in the area.
- Identify a long-term plan for converting the identified groundwater wells to surface water sources, including recommendations on water supply governance and concept-level engineering that addresses preliminary design considerations, including: supply source, treatment, distribution, operation, and financing needed to complete any changes to water supply infrastructure.
- Include any policy and funding recommendations for converting groundwater supply wells to surface water sources, recommendations for treating and reusing wastewater, and any other recommendations for additional measures that reduce groundwater use, promote water reuse, and increase groundwater recharge.
- Include any policy and funding recommendations for local wastewater treatment and recharge.
- Be submitted to the chairs and ranking minority members of the house of representatives and senate committees and divisions with jurisdiction over environment and natural resources finance and policy by June 30, 2027
Minnesota Laws 2023, Chapter 60, Article 1, Section 5(f)