Purpose:
The purpose of this case is to adopt Resolution #19-232 approving the City of Ramsey’s Wellhead Protection Plan Part 2 Amendment following the required Public Hearing, and authorizing submittal to the Minnesota Department of Health by October 6, 2019.

Background:
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is charged with protecting drinking water sources throughout Minnesota per Minnesota Rules, Chapter 4720, Public Water Supplies, which includes administering the Wellhead Protection Program.  The purpose of the program is to prevent contamination of public drinking water supplies by identifying water supply recharge areas and implementing management practices for potential pollution sources found within those areas.  Public Water Suppliers, which includes municipalities, are required to maintain a Wellhead Protection Plan (WHPP), and to amend it every 10 years.
 
The City has been working with MDH since March of 2017 to amend the City’s WHPP, which was adopted January 4, 2010, and is effective until January 4, 2020.  The City must submit the amended WHPP to the MDH for review and approval by October 6, 2019 to meet the required 10-year update schedule.  The City will meet this requirement by conducting a Public Hearing on September 24, 2019, revising the amended WHPP based on comments received from other agencies, the City Council, and the public, then submitting the final amended WHPP to the MDH by October 6, 2019.
 
The City’s WHPP consists of two parts.  Part 1 delineates the City's wellhead protection zone and drinking water supply management area (DWSMA), and assesses the vulnerability of our DWSMA and municipal water supply wells.  Part 2 includes a potential contaminant source inventory, a potential contaminant source management strategy, an emergency/alternative water supply contingency plan, and wellhead protection program evaluation plan.
 
Part 1 of the WHPP was recently amended and approved by the MDH. A copy of the MDH approval letter issued January 29, 2019, and received February 4, 2019, is attached.  As required, copies of the amended delineated wellhead protection areas, drinking water supply management areas, and assessments of well and aquifer vulnerabilities were issued to local units of governments (LGU’s) wholly or partially within these areas within 30 days after receiving MDH approval of the Part 1 amendment. A copy of the LGU notification letter issued March 1, 2019, including attachments, is attached to this case.
 
The City was also required to conduct a public information meeting by April 4, 2019, to present the Part 1 amendments to the public. The public information meeting was conducted on March 19, 2019, as part of the regular Public Works Committee meeting.
 
To kick the Part 2 amendment process off, City and MDH Staff met on March 28, 2019, to discuss the scope of the required amendments.  It was discussed that numerous data elements must be compiled and assessed as related to the management of potential contaminants in the drinking water supply management area that was approved with the WHPP Part 1 amendments.  Data elements are pieces of information in the form of maps, lists, records, tables and inventories. Where appropriate, the elements should be reviewed and assessed in terms of their present and/or future implications on the 1) use of the wells, 2) quality and quantity of water supplying the public water supply wells, and 3) land and groundwater uses in the DWSMA.
 
The MDH prepared a Scoping 2 Decision Notice after the meeting, which was submitted to the City via email on April 4, 2019.  This Notice included a list of required data elements.  A hard copy of this Notice, including an attachment noting Potential Contaminant Source Inventory (PCSI) requirements, was received in the mail on April 8, 2019.  Copies of the Scoping 2 Decision Notice and PCSI requirements are attached. The MDH provided a deadline of October 6, 2019, for completing and submitting the City of Ramsey’s Wellhead Protection Plan Part 2 Amendment.
 
BARR engineering was enlisted to amend Part 2 of the WHPP given Staff’s workload, the scope of work required to amend Part 2 of the WHPP, and the minimal amount of time available to complete this work.  The Public Works Committee supported using BARR Engineering to prepare the Part 2 Amendments at a cost not-to-exceed $25,100.
 
Attached is a draft of the City of Ramsey’s Part 2 Wellhead Protection Plan Amendment as prepared and submitted by BARR Engineering on July 10, 2019.  Also attached is a copy of the cover letter that was submitted with the draft WHPP amendments to LGU’s on July 17, 2019, for the purpose of soliciting public comment and notifying them of the Public Hearing for the Part 2 WHPP Amendment.

Notice of the Public Hearing was published in the Anoka Union Herald.

Observations:
Attached are copies of Part 2 WHPP Amendment review letters received from the Metropolitan Council and Anoka County Environmental Services.  Staff will address these comments during the presentation made prior to the Public Hearing, with assistance from Mr. John Greer with BARR Engineering.
 
Staff provided a brief update on the Part 2 amendments to the Public Works Committee on September 17, 2019.  No requests for additional or clarifying information were made by the Committee.  Staff therefore plans to present a high-level overview of Parts 1 and 2 of the Wellhead Protection Plan prior to the Public Hearing.
 
Alternatives:
Alternative #1 – Motion to adopt Resolution #19-232 approving the City of Ramsey’s Wellhead Protection Plan Part 2 Amendment, and authorizing submittal to the Minnesota Department of Health by October 6, 2019, following final revisions as approved and directed by the City Council.

Alternative #2 – Motion to deny adoption of Resolution #19-232 at this time.

All costs required to amend Parts 1 and 2 of the City’s WHPP will be funded through the City of Ramsey’s water enterprise funds, including BARR Engineering’s work, which will be paid through the professional services budget.

Staff recommends Alternative #1.

Motion to adopt Resolution #19-232 approving the City of Ramsey’s Wellhead Protection Plan Part 2 Amendment, and authorizing submittal to the Minnesota Department of Health by October 6, 2019, following final revisions as approved and directed by the City Council.