Appendix D - Wastewater Reuse Task Force

The 2017 Wastewater Reuse Task Force recommended the following actions regarding the Met Council’s financial contribution to future wastewater reuse opportunities. These recommendations contain a regional cost-share structure based on the regional water resource recovery system benefit only. The task force recommendations are as follows:

The institutional arrangements and cost-of-service approach for wastewater reuse are important to the development of wastewater reuse in the region. In implementing wastewater reuse opportunities, the Met Council will use the following approaches:

• Met Council shall use a cost-of-service, case-by-case approach to wastewater reuse in cooperation and partnership with local communities. The Met Council will evaluate the potential regional benefit of a potential wastewater reuse project and, if the Met Council’s criteria are met, will determine an appropriate cost share, provided that the cumulative regional cost share shall not exceed 0.75% of the total annual municipal wastewater charges based on the impact of a 20-year debt service repayment period that the project(s) would create.
• Criteria to be used to evaluate whether there is a regional benefit to a potential wastewater reuse opportunity shall include: (1) the regional wastewater system was built to service long-term growth in a subregional service area in which (a) water managers now recognize concerns about sustainable water supply and the importance of meeting the needs of future generations while not harming ecosystems, degrading water, or reducing water levels beyond the reach of public water supplies and privately owned wells and (b) a growing demand for groundwater could mean it will be difficult to obtain a groundwater use permit from the Department of Natural Resources; and/or (2) the proposed reuse project reduces MCES’ surface water discharge, delaying capital improvements to meet more stringent regulatory requirements.
• Met Council shall hold a public hearing to obtain customer and public input prior to making a final determination on regional benefit and regional cost-share.
• Implementation of each wastewater reuse project shall be consistent with the comprehensive plan of the community in which the reclaimed water user is located.
• Met Council shall enter into a joint powers agreement with the community in which the reclaimed water user is located to define the reclaimed water service institutional arrangements and to avoid competition with municipal public water suppliers.
• Met Council shall enter into a long-term reclaimed water service agreement with each user, using a cost-of-service approach, including a potential regional cost-share where appropriate.
• Met Council shall pursue sources of non-Met Council funding to complement Met Council funding of wastewater reuse projects, including Clean Water Legacy Funds, state bond funds, and reuse grants.