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<br />7 <br /> <br />Response: This has been added to the required permits and approvals table found in <br />Section 5. Findings of Fact, C. Extent to Which Environmental Effect Area Subject to <br />Mitigation. <br />Page 12, Wastewater <br />Comment. The proposed plan to add 557 and even up to 707 residential units would <br />presumably add a comparable number of residential water softeners due to the water hardness <br />levels of the City of Lino Lakes municipal water supply. Many Minnesota municipalities are <br />wrestling with high chloride levels in their wastewater (See this recent study (link in letter in <br />Appendix A) on sources of chloride in Minnesota). Chloride is one of the components of salt, <br />which is used in forms such as sodium chloride (table salt), calcium chloride and magnesium <br />chloride (road salts). Sodium chloride is commonly used in home water softeners and by water <br />treatment plants to treat “hard” water. Minnesota generally has groundwater with high levels <br />of calcium and magnesium that must be removed through softening in order to improve taste <br />and prevent lime scale buildup in appliances, pipes and water fixtures. The majority of home <br />water softeners use sodium chloride (NaCl) in a softening process that replaces calcium and <br />magnesium ions with sodium, while the chloride ions are discharged in the wastewater and <br />eventually end up in the environment. <br />Each community needs to determine which tool is appropriate for their situation. This factsheet <br />(link in letter in Appendix A) suggests ways for homeowners to optimize their water softener <br />salt use, while this link (link in letter in Appendix A) provides resources for cities and examples <br />of how other communities in Minnesota are addressing their high chloride levels. We suggest <br />that as this development moves forward, the City of Lino Lakes consider what strategies can be <br />used to minimize chloride use. <br />Response: The City of Lino Lakes recognizes the importance of reducing chloride use. The <br />City of Lino Lakes will encourage residents to implement best management practices with <br />their water softeners. The project proposer can include the factsheet on Residential water <br />softening for homeowners in the proposed development that is available on the MPCA’s <br />statewide chloride resources website located here: Microsoft Word - <br />UMNResidentialBMPs_Final.docx. The City provides education resources related to <br />chloride use on its website and newsletter. <br />Page 13, Post-Construction Runoff <br />Comment. Blanding’s turtles, a protected state-listed threatened species, have been <br />documented within the Project Site. Stormwater features may be colonized by Blanding’s <br />turtles in the area, therefore we recommend incorporating measures to avoid impacting this <br />species into stormwater management. In years when the stormwater features will be dredged <br />to remove excess sediment, please draw down water levels by September 15th in order to <br />allow turtles to find overwintering habitat elsewhere.