1. Water Supply Planning for the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area
Brian Davis, Ph.D., P.G., P.E.
Senior Engineer, Metropolitan Council

2. Metropolitan Council Environmental Services
640 miles of interceptors
8 wastewater treatment plants
Environmental monitoring
Water supply planning

3. Water Supply Planning Facilitate collaboration Support local plans
Technical support
Water conservation
Reusing stormwater and treated wastewater
Support regional and local investments
Details about the strategies the Council is using to achieve the vision are included in Chapter 7 of the Master Water Supply Plan.
1) The Metropolitan Council will collaborate with state agencies, watershed organizations, and community water suppliers to update the regional Master Water Supply Plan as new information becomes available and as the comprehensive development guide for the metropolitan area, Thrive MSP 2040, is updated.
2) The Council promotes water sustainability through the Master Water Supply Plan, and through the review of local water supply plans, surface water management plans, comprehensive plans, and comprehensive sewer plans. The Council will review and comment on plans.
3) In partnership with others, the Council will: Fill gaps in technical assessments of lake, stream, river, and groundwater data; Maintain a regional database that contains easily accessible water quality, quantity and other water related information collected as part of the Council’s monitoring programs; Complete technical studies to understand regional and sub-regional long-term water supply availability and demand including modeling and other approaches; Support community efforts to identify and evaluate the economic and technical feasibility of water supply approaches and best practices that increase water conservation, enhance groundwater recharge, and make the best use of groundwater, surface water, reclaimed wastewater, and stormwater.
4) The Metropolitan Council will facilitate discussions on water supply issues that transcend community boundaries, though sub-regional work groups and on an ad hoc basis as needed.
5) The Metropolitan Council will promote and support water conservation measures, including education, outreach and tool development.
6) Metropolitan Council will investigate reusing treated wastewater to supplement groundwater and surface water as sources of nonpotable water to support regional growth, and when cost-effective, implement reuse.
7) Metropolitan Council will support cost-effective investments in water supply infrastructure to promote efficiency and sustainable use and protect the region’s water supply

4. Metropolitan Area Water Supply
3 million people
186 communities, 106 water supply providers
70% of residents use groundwater
Municipal water use:
Current: 300 million gallons per day
Projected (2040): 450 million gallons per day

5. What Makes Us Different

6. Municipal Water Sources Groundwater Source Area
Twin Cities Basin
Groundwater Source Area
Mississippi River
Source Area 6
The source of the metro region’s municipal water supplies comes from an area that extends beyond the Metropolitan Council’s jurisdiction in the seven-county metropolitan area.
While our groundwater supplies are located mainly in the seven-county metro, the aquifers that supply them extend beyond the county borders.
In addition, the primary source are for the Mississippi River intakes that provide water to Minneapolis Water Works and St. Paul Regional Water Services – the drinking water providers for 40% of the metro’s residents – is located almost entirely outside of our seven counties.
What we do control entirely within our jurisdiction is the treatment and discharge of all of the surface water and groundwater used in the seven-county metropolitan area. Most of this water is treated and discharged at one of the regional wastewater treatment plants (green squares). Interesting fact: the amount of wastewater treated every day in the metro is more than double the amount of water used by industry in the metro.
This combination of surface water and groundwater supplies, and multiple regional wastewater treatment plants, make the Twin Cities is a little different than other parts of the state.
In many ways, we have more flexibility for managing water supplies. We have greater potential for conjunctive use of groundwater and surface water, and reuse of reclaimed wastewater.
But it also means our drinking water supply planning is complicated by limited authority over our source water areas, the significant consequences of significant contaminant spills in the Mississippi River watershed, and competition with other very large private Mississippi River water users – particularly during droughts – such as the power plants that supply energy to the entire state.

7. Four Extensive Aquifers
We are lucky to have…
Four extensive underground layers of rock, gravel and sand (aquifers) hold and transport billions of gallons of water for over two million people.

8. Metro Area Wells Drilled from 1940 - 2010 (800) (60,000)
Darker blue = older well
data reported for 7-County Metro in 2013 Minnesota County Well Index

9. Mississippi River We are lucky to have…
Four extensive underground layers of rock, gravel and sand (aquifers) hold and transport billions of gallons of water for over two million people.

10. Groundwater and Surface Water
Over time, our use of these sources has grown.
In the 1970s and 1980s, the region drew water equally from the Mississippi and from groundwater. But today, three out of four people use groundwater. That’s because most of the region’s development expanded to areas away from rivers.
Now, we use more groundwater compared to surface water.

11. Growing Population Increases Municipal Water Use

12. Over time, our use of these sources has grown.
In the 1970s and 1980s, the region drew water equally from the Mississippi and from groundwater. But today, three out of four people use groundwater. That’s because most of the region’s development expanded to areas away from rivers.
Now, we use more groundwater compared to surface water.
City of Eden Prairie

13. Monthly Cost

14. Monthly Residential Use

15. Monthly Residential Use

16. Minneapolis

17. Residential Water Use

18. Residential Indoor Water Use
138 gallons per household per day 58.6 gpcd
Water Research Foundation

19. Residential Indoor Water Use
Water Research Foundation

20. Outdoor Water Use

21. Outdoor Water Use
1990s

22. Hospitals Name City/Rank Million Gallons/Year Abbott Northwestern
Minneapolis/3
53.3
VA Medical Center
Minneapolis/4
53.0
Regions Hospital
St. Paul/5
65.3
United Hospital
St. Paul/8
39.3
Lakeview Hospital
Stillwater/1
10.0
Fairview Ridges Hospital
Burnsville/2
29.9
Mercy Hospital
Coon Rapids/1
35.5

23. Issues of Concern Aquifer Drawdown Excess Infrastructure
Aquifer Contamination
Source Water Protection

24. Aquifer Drawdown

25. Aquifer Drawdown 2040 pumping vs. today
Institute for Groundwater Research

26. Aquifer Drawdown
2040 pumping vs. today

27. Effects on Surface Water

28. Excess Infrastructure

29. Irrigation Gets Smart!

30. Let’s Do An Experiment!

31. 13,643 gallons vs. 1,671 gallons

32. $2 Million in Potential Savings

33. Aquifer Contamination
Perfluoroalkylated Substances

34. Aquifer Contamination

36. Aquifer Contamination
MDH

37. 700,000,000 lb/year
StarTribune

38. Source Water Protection

39. Thank You!