Providing Excellent Service

Maintaining trust and operational excellence 

Our work requires precision, coordination, and a deep understanding of both infrastructure and people. The Met Council’s record of compliance continues, earning the continued trust of our customers, partners, and communities across the Twin Cities region.

The Metropolitan Council’s nine wastewater treatment plants received national recognition for outstanding compliance with federal clean water discharge permits. The Met Council has some of the best National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit compliance in the country. The National Association of Clean Water Agencies reports that only 50% of all its public utility members had facilities earn Peak Performance recognition in 2023. Our Hastings and Saint Croix Valley facilities are among the top five facilities in the nation for longest held compliance records.  

Over the past five years, the Met Council has adopted a proactive maintenance approach that enhances efficiency and reduces costly repairs to equipment. Electrical and mechanical departments perform asset conditioning monitoring, which includes testing to monitor equipment and forecast preventative maintenance or predict an equipment failure in advance. Electricians and machinist mechanics closely monitor mechanical and electrical systems, predicting and addressing potential equipment failures using advanced tools like electric motor testing, vibration analysis, ultrasound greasing, and infrared testing. By identifying issues early, departments can schedule repairs, order parts in advance, and prevent emergency shutdowns that could disrupt critical operations and safety.

Met Council staff participated in an emergency preparedness training to ensure we’re ready to respond during a large-scale power outage and able to provide uninterrupted wastewater services. During a Jan. 23 virtual tabletop exercise hosted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Emergency Management Institute, staff assessed our preparedness, response, recovery protocols, plans, and capabilities in the event of a power outage emergency. Tabletop questions prompted evaluate the impacts of a large scale power outage on operations and identify necessary steps to maintain wastewater services. The exercise identified the need to document lift stations with low detention times and to resolve diesel fuel shelf-life issues. 

Protecting public health and safety

Our nine wastewater treatment plants operate around the clock to meet and exceed regulatory standards, preventing pollution and supporting healthy waterways. We also strengthened partnerships with local communities and state agencies to respond quickly to risks and rising complexities in our environment.

In early June 2024, Met Council staff responded to rising waters in the Mississippi River during the eighth highest flood event in Saint Paul since records began in 1892. According to the National Park Service, the river crested at a flow of 1,054,753 gallons per second, about the same volume as two Olympic swimming pools of water every second. By weight, that's about 4,400 tons of water each second. Response included construction services team working with a contractor to build access for employees to drive on our elevated temporary road, safety and security personnel managing one-way traffic in and out of the plant, the warehouse team carefully scheduling deliveries to maintain operations, operations staff running pumps continuously 24 hours a day and water resources staff monitoring groundwater levels. 

The Met Council wastewater spill response team acts quickly to stop and contain spills, assess impacts, and promptly notify the affected community. When the rare wastewater spill happens along our extensive, aging sanitary sewer conveyance system, well-coordinated teamwork minimizes impacts on public health and the environment. Information on wastewater spills is publicly shared on the Met Council website to provide consistent, timely information and ensure transparency. In 2024, our team responded to one wastewater spill caused by equipment malfunction during maintenance work.

Fats, oils, and grease can build up over time, reducing the amount of water that can flow through sanitary sewer pipes.  Over time, blocked pipes can cause sewer backups interrupting sewer use, requiring expensive repairs and causing harmful impacts on the environment and the public’s health.
To address this growing concern, the Met Council invited stakeholders from communities, food service establishments, and local industry to participate in a taskforce to identify ways to tackle the problem together. As an outcome of the 2023 taskforce that explored industry, community, and residential needs for fats, oils, grease, and rags, our Industrial Waste and Pollution Prevention team launched a website with educational and outreach materials that provide guidance for keeping fats, oils, grease, and rags out of the sanitary sewers. 

Improving workplace safety and culture

We deepened our investment in people, creating pathways for career growth, strengthening our organizational culture, and advancing equity across the Met Council. We expanded training and onboarding programs to support new employees and continued to build a pipeline of talent that reflects the diversity of the region we serve.

We concluded the Construction Inspector Training program, as program graduates transitioned to become construction inspectors, playing a critical role in ensuring the longevity and safety of our wastewater infrastructure. Participants undergo rigorous training that begins with site visits in their first year, followed by a second year serving as associate construction inspector. Their education continues with certifications in construction site management from the American Public Works Association, along with additional internal courses and certifications from North Hennepin Community College and the University of Minnesota. The Met Council’s commitment to training and development ensures that we have the necessary resources to keep our wastewater system safe and efficient and build strong relationships with our community.

Met Council staff participated in a national development program for water utility employees to enhance their leadership skills and prepare to become water leaders of tomorrow. Program participants benefit from opportunities to network and engage in individual development plans, group workshops, mentorship, and facilities tours.