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7 Fall 2014 Council Approves Water System Plan That Will Save $1.7 Million The Lake Elmo City Council voted 5-0 to install a 16” water main along 39th Street from Lake Elmo Avenue to Laverne Avenue at a cost of $118,000 that will pro- vide enough water pressure and volume to eliminate a planned water tower, saving the community $1.7 million. The installation will take place in concert with new roads and sewer installation that will serve four new develop- ments around the Old Village. City staff has been working with its water consultant AE2S to identify and configure the water system need- ed to support growth while servicing existing utility cus- tomers. During this process a detailed reconfiguration of pipe sizing, water storage requirements and other hydraulic needs were examined to create as efficient a water distribution system as possible. The water system modeling identified an opportunity to increase the size of the Village trunk water main, together with redefin- ing pressure zone boundaries in and around the Village area that will eliminate the need for a new water tower downtown. “One thing this City Council has worked on is stabiliz- ing and properly cash flowing our water utility. In the past year we have obtained $3.5 million is state fund- ing, secured $1.2 million in future water availability fees, and now we have saved $1.7 million in expenses by reexamining our distribution system. If you couple this work with the $435,000 of interest savings achieved through refinancing the $4 million in debt we inherited from previous councils – that is almost $7 million dollars of positive cash flow management to our water utility,” said Mayor Mike Pearson. By adding the 16” water main on Lake Elmo Avenue that would connect to the City’s new well on 50th Street, it was found that there was the proper hydraulics to serve the Old Village and the low pressure system along the I-94 corridor east of Lake Elmo Avenue. The City is served by two major pressures zones due to community elevation. The high pressure zone is north and west of Keats Avenue and I-94. “While growth in the Old Village has come a little faster than normal, the savings in sewer and water costs to current taxpayers due to these projects will be approxi- mately $2.5 - $2.7 million. In addition, the work in the north and east of the Old Village looks like it will substan- tially reduce, if not eliminate localized flooding that has plague the area for generations,” concluded Pearson. The City is working cooperatively with homeowners to implement stormwater Best Management Prac- tices to help protect drinking water supplies. There are several steps you can take with routine tasks in your ga- rage or yard: • Properly dispose of household products such as insecticides, pesticides, paint, etc... Don’t pour them onto the ground or into storm drains. • Don’t over water your lawn. • Use pesticides and fertilizers spar- ingly. When necessary, use these chemicals in the recommended amounts and always sweep off sidewalks and driveways. • Compost or mulch yard waste. Don’t leave it in the street or sweep it into storm drains. • Remember to pick up all pet waste and dispose of it properly. • Use a commercial car wash that treats or recycles its wastewater, or wash your car on your yard so the water infiltrates into the ground. • Dispose of used auto fluids and batteries at designated drop-off or recycling locations. You can further make an impact on the quality and supply of drinking water in the home by: • Save water by fixing leaky fau- cets, running full loads of laun- dry or dishes, and taking shorter showers. • Use soaps, lotions, and deter- gents that are biodegradable and less toxic. • Use water-saving appliances. Look for the WaterSense label. For additional information visit www. pca.state.mn.us/water/stormwater/ index.html or http://www.mrwa.com. City Encourages Residents to be Proactive toward Protecting Drinking Water Supplies