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Home My WebLink AboutRES 88-015 RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ST. ANTHONY AUTHORIZING ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS FOR A TEMPORARY GRANULAR ACTIVATED CARBON (GAC) WATER FILTRATION SYSTEM Meeting Sheet IIIIIIVIIIVIIIVIIIVIIIVIIIIIIIIIII 101614 Box: 21 Folder: RES 1988 Document: RES 88-015 RESOLUTION OF THE CIN COUNCIL OF THE CIN OF ST. ANTHONY AUTHORIZING ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS FOR A TEMPORARY GRANULAR ACTIVATED CARBON (GAC) WATER FILTRATION SYSTEM • RESOLUTION 88-015 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ST. ANTHONY AUTHORIZING ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS FOR A TEMPORARY GRANULAR ACTIVATED CARBON (GAC) WATER FILTRATION SYSTEM WHEREAS, in 1982 , certain volatile organic chemicals (VOC' s) were discovered in the municipal water system of the City of St. Anthony; and WHEREAS, these chemical contaminants include 1 ,1,2 Trichloroethylene (TCE) and other organic solvents; and WHEREAS, as a result of this contamination problem the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) , using Superfund dollars, began a multimillion dollar study to determine the source of this contamination and to develop a remedy for the regional groundwater contamination; and WHEREAS, as part of this investigation, several hundred potential sources of the regional groundwater contamination problem were identified and then eliminated from consideration as potential • sources. As a result of this investigation, the Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant (TCAAP) and the Trio Solvents site remain as the only possible sources of this major groundwater contamination problem; and WHEREAS, the City of St. Anthony is directly downgradient from TCAAP; and WHEREAS, levels of contamination in the City' s well #3 rose steadily from 1982, resulting in issuance of a health advisory from the Minnesota Department_ of Health (MDH) in February of 1984. In that advisory the MDH recommended that the City remove Well #3 from service. At that point, levels of TCE in well #3 were generally in the 10 to 15 parts per billion (ppb) range; and WHEREAS, because the remaining two St. Anthony municipal wells did not have sufficient water production capacity to meet expected summer water and fire protection demands, the MPCA declared an emergency and authorized the use of Superfund dollars to make an interconnection with the Roseville water system to provide a 15-20o supplement for the City' s summer water needs; and WHEREAS, the . MPCA in the fall of 1985 statistically documented an increasing trend of TCE contamination in the City of St. • Anthony' s Well #4 and recommended a feasibility study to find a long-term water supply alternative. This study resulted in choosing a granular activated carbon (GAC) water filtration system as the permanent solution to St. Anthony' s water • contamination problem. EPA and State Superfund dollars were allocated through an official Record of Decision to design and construct such a system; and WHEREAS, the initial timetable for completion of the $1. 1 million permanent GAC system was the summer of 1987; and WHEREAS, numerous delays at EPA and' MPCA have resulted in the scheduled completion date being delayed until mid-August, 1989, at approximately double the original estimated cost. The City also has serious doubts that the EPA/MPCA will actually meet this much-delayed completion date; and -WHEREAS, in the City' s efforts to find alternative solutions to this problem, its has taken several actions: *commenced litigation in early 1986 naming as defendants the U. S. Army and other responsible parties. *retained experts to determine the exact source of the City' s water contamination problem. These experts have concluded that the major source of contamination is emanating from TCAAP. • *presented these conclusions to the U.S. Army and the Army has refused to accept any responsibility for St. Anthony' s water contamination problem. WHEREAS, the City of New Brighton, in response to the same contamination has ordered temporary carbon filtration for its wells and will be installing a permanent GAC system also to be completed late in 1989; and WHEREAS, on March 2 , 1988 , the MDH advised the City that TCE levels in Well #4 had risen to concentrations ranging up to 15 ppb and Well #5 to concentrations ranging up to 6.6 ppb. They further advised that the recommended allowable limit (RAL) of TCE which was previously 27 ppb had been replaced by a federal Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for TCE of 5 ppb, which was adopted in a July 8,, 1987 Federal Register and which standard would be effective in Minnesota on January 9, 1989. They also advised that if the level of TCE exceeded 5 ppb based on the average of 4 consecutive quarterly results, the City would be in violation of the MCL and under legal obligation to remedy the situation; and WHEREAS, with the City possibly being in violation of Federal MCL Standards effective January 9, 1989 , and with the permanent plant scheduled for completion no earlier than mid-August of • 1989 , it is imperative for the City to take reasonable and prudent actions to protect the safety and welfare of its citizens and to attempt to make reasonable efforts to comply with applicable Federal laws. In light of previous major delays in the design and construction of the permanent Granular Activated • Carbon (GAC) filtration system, the City has serious reservations that the current scheduled completion date for that system will be met; and WHEREAS, because of these reservations and because of the City' s sovereign duty to serve and protect its citizens, the City Council deems that a temporary carbon filtration system should be installed to provide water to its residents in adequate quality and quantity due to the loss of Well #3 and the possible closing of Wells #4 and #5; and WHEREAS, as stated by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, the substances detected in St. Anthony' s wells are hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants, the release of which is threatening the public health, welfare., and the environment. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of St. Anthony, that the increasing .levels of hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants into the City of St. Anthony' s water supply., constitutes and requires immediate action' to prevent, minimize or mitigate damage to the public health, welfare and the environment; and • BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that response actions within the meaning of the Federal and State Superfund Laws are necessary, including, but not limited to, design and construction of facilities to provide the City of St. Anthony with alternate water supplies; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of St. Anthony hereby approves plans for a temporary carbon filtration system as designed by Rieke-Carroll-Muller Associates engineers and authorizes the call for bids for such temporary GAC system; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the U.S. Army has not provided funds' for this response action and the City Council, therefore, authorizes that borrowing is hereby authorized to cover the cost of the temporary GAC system, as well as other legal, consultant and other City costs, both past and future, relating to this groundwater contamination problem. Adopted this day of A ril 1988. mayor U , ATTEST'- City Clerk Reviewed by administration: Mana ger ,, � City g