Scott Hanson, groundwater specialist with Minnesota Rural Water Association, provided technical assistance to create the amended Wellhead Protection Plan (WHP). He briefly reviewed the amendment at the July 10 city council meeting.
The Chatfield WHP plan was originally approved by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) in 2007 and has been in effect through June 2017. The original plan limited land use control outside of the Chatfield city limits. The amendment uses recent data and adds consideration of fractures in geology.
The amended Drinking Water Supply Management Area for the city wells is considerably larger than the original 2007 area and includes the contribution of surface water runoff. With this amendment CRP, set aside, and alternative crops will be encouraged in the larder area which has been included outside of the city limits. The amendment describes expected changes to the physical environment, land use, and groundwater that may occur over the next 10 years. The objectives of the plan and the measures that must be taken to meet those objectives are described. The implementation of the plan will be evaluated.
Hanson called it a preventative plan. The plan lays out what you can do to protect the water supply to prevent water quality issues. In well # 3 nitrates are at four parts per million (ppm) which is one ppm higher than 10 years ago, but still below the 10 ppm which is considered the maximum contaminant level (EPA’s drinking water standard). High nitrate levels are considered dangerous to health, especially for infants and pregnant women.
City Clerk Joel Young praised Brian Burkholder, public utilities superintendent, and Ryan Priebe, water superintendent, for the work they do. During the public hearing for the WHP plan amendment, there was no comment from the public.
The WHP plan amendment was approved unanimously.
Other business in brief
• No action was taken on the Industrial Drive Project. Councilor Paul Novotny said it was discussed more in committee. The possibility of a grant to pay for a portion of the project is still pending. Novotny suggested he was still in favor of only doing segment 1, but left open the possibility of also doing segment 3. He said if all the lots were to be sold most of the money spent by the city would be recovered, but he added, “I don’t know how long that would take.”
• The first consideration of Ordinance #427, Omnibus Fees, was approved, which will raise recycling fees from $3.69 to $5.62 per month. The ordinance change, due to an increase in the frequency of pickup to a weekly service, is expected to go into effect in September. The increase in service is expected to begin in October.
City Attorney Fred Suhler is drafting a new agreement with Bill Hanson which will include the weekly recycling pickup.
• Rocky Burnett, ambulance services, proposed an agreement with Expert T Billing to provide billing services for the processing of ambulance charges, as recommended by the Public Services committee. He also requested the purchase of two Panasonic Toughbook tablets at a total cost of $7,366 for patient care reports. Both requests were approved.
• Using funding from both service clubs and the city, approval was given to replace the city’s “welcome” banners.
• Burkholder reported on a company called Safe Step which looks at the condition of sidewalks. They saw cut sidewalks that are in good condition but have a quarter inch or greater raised joint, which would cause them to be considered out of compliance and a trip hazard. Burkholder expects the sidewalk replacement budget would be the same, but this process would allow more sidewalks to be repaired in a year. He noted the company has completed a free demonstration.
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