Consider Participation in a Nationwide Water Conservation Challenge

The purpose of this case is to introduce the Environmental Policy Board (EPB) to an interesting and friendly nationwide water conservation challenge sponsored by the Wyland Foundation. The Wyland Foundation is a non-profit organization focused on providing environmental awareness, with an emphasis on water. The Wyland Foundation hosts a National Mayor's Challenge for Water Conservation in April each year.  The challenge intends to simultaneously engage and educate residents on water conservation and provides simple tools to implement water conservation in various aspects of everyday life.  There is a lot of good information about the challenge on their website: https://mywaterpledge.com/.  Staff is hopeful that Board Members have an opportunity to explore the website in advance of the meeting to help facilitate this discussion.

This challenge appears to support the City Council's Strategic Plan strategy of enhancing sustainability and efficiency through public facilities and infrastructure investments.  Also, participation in this challenge aligns well with the EPB's mission by promoting both environmental awareness and conservation practices by citizens.  Furthermore, participation would incorporate public engagement, a common sentiment during the EPB's discussion regarding the 2020 Work Plan, as the challenge is really geared toward getting residents engaged and excited to conserve water.  Finally, it would also dovetail nicely with a water efficiency grant program that Staff is working on and will presumably be rolling out in the first half of 2020 (hopefully, as the City is still awaiting the Metropolitan Council's announcement of successful grant applications).

This challenge began in 2013 and, according to the Wyland Foundation website, has resulted in pledges to conserve over 7 billion gallons of water.  Interestingly enough, in 2016, the city of Andover won the challenge (population size of 5,000-29,999) and would presumably be able to provide feedback on the challenge in terms of their staffing resources that were dedicated to the challenge and hopefully some data on the actual water savings accomplished by their residents' pledges.  

Mayor LeTourneau has expressed an openness to the concept, subject to EPB Review. 

This is being handled as part of Staff's regular duties.

Based on discussion. However, if supported desired, the EPB could make a recommendation  that the Mayor take the pledge and enter Ramsey into the National Mayor's Challenge for Water Conservation.