Council water supply team earns kudos from U of M

Date: Monday, October 16, 2017


“You were nominated…to recognize your contributions and continued partnership to the mission of the School of Public Health. For going above and beyond for our SPH students and faculty, and to thank you for the time and energy you’ve given to making the School a stronger institution.” 

- University of Minnesota School of Public Health Professor and Dean, John R. Finnegan, Jr. PhD.
 

The Metropolitan Council and University of Minnesota partner on a lot of projects, especially when it comes to environmental research. One of those partnerships just earned kudos for helping metro area businesses and organizations find ways to conserve water and save money.

The U of M School of Public Health recently honored the Council’s Water Supply Planning team with a “Community Partner Agency Award” for a joint project that put interns and staff from the University’s Minnesota Technical Assistance program (MnTAP) to work on groundwater conservation.
 
With Council guidance, and support in the form of $337,500 in Clean Water Legacy funding, 19 interns fanned out across a host of companies and organizations to affect awareness and promote conservation. The first interns were hired in the summer of 2013.

“The MnTAP partnership is always constructive and valuable and it’s an honor to be recognized for the work that we do together,” said Brian Davis, a senior engineer with the Council’s Environmental Services Division.

“Work on this project resulted in recommendations that helped to conserve millions of gallons of water, improve production efficiency and save hundreds of thousands of dollars a year,” Davis said. “It also provided interns with the opportunity to work with scientists and engineers and get real-world, hands-on experience.”

Public and private participants

  • Gedney Pickles

    MnTAP intern Ayotunde Olantunbosun worked in the summer of 2015 for Lloyd’s BBQ in Mendota Heights.

  • Federal Cartridge

  • Northern Star Foods

  • GE Power and Technologies

  • City of Woodbury

  • Lloyd’s BBQ

  • Sanimax

  • Xcel Energy

  • Anoka-Hennepin School District

  • Cemstone

  • Hennepin County Medical Center

  • R&D Systems

  • TEL FSI

  • Aqseptence Group

  • Bailey Nurseries

  • CertainTeed Roofing

  • Electric Machinery Company

  • Fulton Brewing

The Council’s Water Supply Planning unit helps to ensure an ongoing supply of clean and reliable water in the region.
 
MnTAP is a program at the U of M that helps Minnesota businesses develop and implement industry-tailored solutions that prevent pollution at the source, maximize efficient use of resources, and reduce energy use and costs to improve public health and the environment.

More information


 

Posted In: Council News, Planning, Wastewater & Water

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