It hardly seems possible that this is my last message for the Breeze, but my term as Section Chair will be coming to an end at the Annual Conference in Duluth this September.
I’ve served on the MN AWWA Board for many years; I was a District Trustee, and I’ve been involved with the MAC and other committees. And as many of you know, I’ve organized and coordinated the Tuesday fishing event for many years. Despite my experience with Section activities, being Chair brought a whole new level of leadership to my door! I’m glad I took on this role, and I only wish there was more time to keep pushing our initiatives forward. In September, I’ll pass the gavel to Kabby Jones, who I know will do a great job. Kabby will learn what I did this year: that being Section Chair is a great opportunity, and it’s one that you can’t do without the help and support of a lot of people.
First and foremost, it requires support from your employer, and I need to thank mine for allowing me the time and flexibility to commit to MN AWWA. I appreciate the support and encouragement from my two employers over the past year: Rochester Public Utilities, and CDM Smith.
The Section and Association staff both provide a solid base of support. AWWA’s Section Services Department and our representative, Maggie Vaulman, provide us with tools and resources for membership and governance, among many other things. Without having experience on the board, you may not realize just how much Mona Cavalcoli and Liz Whalen do behind the scenes, but as Chair, you see things with a different perspective. We are lucky to have a great duo helping the Section run smoothly.
Our Executive Board, Council and Committee Chairs, and District Trustees also provide ideas, guidance, perspective, and above all, extra brains and hands to advance our Section initiatives. I especially want to thank Rob Isabel, Jim Hauth, and Eric Volk, who I could always rely on when I needed to ask, “what did you do?” or “how did we do this before?” Their prior leadership helped me prepare to be Chair, and their continued support made it easier to feel confident that I was keeping the Section on track and moving forward.
I’d also like to thank all of the other volunteers and members of MN AWWA: your support and encouragement in electing me to represent the section has been a great honor.
Lastly, thank you to the companies, utilities and municipalities that allow all of us to volunteer our time and attendance at MN AWWA industry functions. Without you, much of what we have been able to accomplish would not be possible.
As water professionals, you know that our work providing safe reliable drinking water to our communities is something that has a
“The water community is essential now and always, and MN AWWA is a resounding echo of that dedication and passion for celebrating the water industry.”
positive effect every single day. We protect public health, we ensure fire protection, and ultimately, we keep our entire economy going! The water community is essential now and always, and MN AWWA is a resounding echo of that dedication and passion for celebrating the water industry.
It has been an amazing experience to serve as Section Chair, and I highly encourage other volunteers to step up and get more involved in Section leadership. I promise you won’t be doing this alone – and you’ll be so glad you got involved and had a chance to impact such a great organization. •
Doug Klamerus
Our mission is to make sure you have it—for personal use like drinking and swimming as well as environmental benefits for animals. We have in-house experts dedicated to water and wastewater treatment, bringing a highly specialized team to local communities and industries to clean, conserve, and protect local water supply.
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I’m an Older Dog, but I’m Learning New Tricks
There’s proverb in the English language that I’m sure you have heard, which goes, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” But there’s also an old saying that contradicts that: “You’re never too old to learn.” Clearly, the “old dog” and “old person” people were not communicating. Or maybe old dogs are just stubborn. I’m not a dog expert by any means; in fact, I’m probably more of a cat person, and when it comes to cats, all bets are off (in my opinion, you can’t teach a cat ANY tricks!).
But suffice to say, I fall into the camp of “You’re never too old to learn.” I feel like I’ve been learning a lot lately. I started taking French lessons back in July. I studied French in high school and college, and even spent a summer living in Quebec City, learning the language in an immersive environment. But after that – well, I haven’t really spoken the language in at least 30 years. After recent trips to France, I became inspired to relearn and develop my french conversation skills. So I’m now an intermediate student in online French classes! Oui, je peux parler français encore! C’est amusante, non? J’ai decide pour déja devenir une etudiante a 55 ans.
And French isn’t the only thing I’ve been learning this summer. As many of you will discover if you come to the MN AWWA Annual Conference in Duluth this year, we are using a new mobile app platform for our Conference. The software is actually more than just a mobile app; it’s an integrated event software that encompasses modules for the app, for registration, for sponsors, speakers, call for papers, registration, badge printing, and more. The leaps and bounds of technology have opened pathways for us to streamline and synchronize our efforts – but it doesn’t come with the snap of the fingers. We have been experiencing a crash-course in learning an entirely new software program, and while it’s not rocket-surgery, as I sometimes like to say, it’s a very steep learning curve, and it’s driven by the fact that as I write this message, we are just 29 days from the Conference!
We are learning to navigate settings and permissions; to know which features we need where and when; to know what functions work in which windows and portals; how to set up surveys, polls and custom forms; we’re figuring out how to validate data; and above all, we’re learning how to communicate all this new information and functionality to you, our members, so that your user experience is a positive one. And we’re doing that on top of all the other preparations we normally do leading up to the Annual Conference.
Going through this process has reminded me that no matter how much I’ve taught myself over the years, there is ALWAYS more to learn.
“I think that we all can keep learning. It keeps us growing and improving how we do our jobs every day. It allows us to do better and to be better. It gives us the chance to share knowledge, teach each other what we learn, and celebrate our accomplishments.”
As Liz and I have been exploring the new platform, it’s been invigorating and exciting to learn new techniques and to expand what we are doing and what we can bring to our members. We even cheer each other on as we succeed at each new step. I think that we all can keep learning. It keeps us growing and improving how we do our jobs every day. It allows us to do better and to be better. It gives us the chance to share knowledge, teach each other what we learn, and celebrate our accomplishments. I hope that for those of you coming to the Annual Conference this year in Duluth – you will take the opportunity to do just that, and that you will continue to learn each and every day. Ne soyez pas un view chien! Apprenez-vous quelque chose de noveau! •
KATIE WELLE President State License #1431
Mona Cavalcoli
AWWA Awarded EPA Grant to Bolster Water Workforce Leadership
Source: awwa.org
The EPA announced today that the American Water Works Association (AWWA) has been awarded a $852,000 grant to support the Transformative Water Leadership Academy (TWLA), a collaborative effort between AWWA and WaterNow Alliance that cultivates and develops the next generation of water utility leaders.
“Today’s announcement is great news for the future of water,” said David LaFrance, AWWA CEO. “EPA’s grant ensures the Transformative Water Leadership Academy can offer more water professionals the opportunity to develop the leadership skills they will need to address the complex challenges the water sector faces today and into the future. By investing in these emerging leaders, we, together with EPA, are investing in the future of water systems and the communities they serve each and every day.”
The TWLA’s 10-month, cohort-based experiential leadership development program prepares water leaders to address emerging one water challenges through the foundations of sustainable community leadership. The TLWA’s focus on foundational pillars, such as diversity, action and community engagement help ensure a strong and sustainable water workforce that helps communities thrive.
“We are delighted to be continuing our partnership with AWWA in producing the Transformative Water Leadership Academy,” said Cynthia Koehler, executive director, WaterNow. “TWLA is unique with its focus on environmental sustainability, innovation, equity, and community trust building to support development of the water sector’s Next Gen leaders, and we are very grateful for EPA’s support for the program.”
“The TWLA’s 10-month, cohort-based experiential leadership development program prepares water leaders to address emerging one water challenges through the foundations of sustainable community leadership.”
With the EPA grant, AWWA will fund two additional TWLA cohorts in 2025 and 2026. In addition to the core curriculum, the grant will allow for expanded mentorship opportunities to support the continued professional development and growth of program participants and graduates.
“Collaboration is essential to creating a sustainable and resilient water workforce,” said Barb Martin, director, engineering and technical services, AWWA. “The TWLA builds networks to support exchanging knowledge and best practices to address the water challenges of today, and into the future. We are grateful to EPA for providing funding support to advance the TWLA program.”
The TWLA program is designed to:
• Enhance leadership skills: Participants engage in a comprehensive curriculum covering topics such as public health protection, environmental stewardship, community engagement, and innovative problem-solving.
• Embrace diversity and inclusion : The program actively recruits a diverse cohort of participants, reflecting the communities they serve.
• Build a network: TWLA connects participants with a network of mentors and peers from across the water community, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing.
• Drive community impact: Participants complete capstone projects that address real-world water challenges in their communities.
EPA’s Innovative Water Workforce Development Grant Program provided more than $20 million in funding to support water workforce development and advancement through initiatives including apprenticeships, regional collaboration and leadership development.
Applications will be accepted for the 2025 TWLA cohort from Aug. 1 through Sept. 25. For more information about the TWLA program and application process, please visit awwa.org/TWLA. •
EPA and Partners Complete Cleanup and Restoration, Open New Trail at Spirit Lake near Duluth, Minnesota
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding accelerated the
project, part of the St. Louis River Area of Concern on Lake Superior
Source: Allison Lippert, EPA
The EPA announced the completion of a four-year, $186 million sediment cleanup and habitat restoration project at Spirit Lake near Duluth, Minnesota. EPA contributed $92 million to the project, including funding provided through the Biden-Harris Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, in a cost-sharing partnership with U.S. Steel.
The completion of this work allowed for construction of a new two-mile-long waterfront trail, which was officially opened to the public today by Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore, Mayor Roger Reinert and project parters.
“With today’s grand opening, we’re seeing firsthand how Great Lakes Legacy Act partnerships are transforming affected land and water into restored ecosystems and recreational opportunities,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator and Great Lakes National Program Manager Debra Shore. “Thanks to this investment from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda and the support of our many partners, a significant portion of a legacy contaminated site has been cleaned up and restored to beautiful habitat, and we’re one step closer to restoring the entire St. Louis Area of Concern.”
“For decades, excessive pollution in and around the St. Louis River watershed kept Minnesotans away,” said Sen. Tina Smith. “Completing the cleanup at Spirit Lake and opening a new
pedestrian trail is a huge step toward reviving public access to this natural resource and keeping the St. Louis River watershed and Lake Superior clean for generations to come.”
“This vital project and investment moves us one step closer to our ultimate goal of removing one of the Great Lakes’ most important waterways from the Great Lakes Area of Concern List,” said Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Deputy Commissioner Peter Tester. “In partnering with federal, state, local, and Tribal governments, as well as other stakeholders, our work to restore and revitalize the St. Louis River will support healthy families, recreation, and a vibrant local economy well into the future.”
“U.S. Steel is excited to join EPA and our local partners in celebrating the official opening of the new recreational amenities along the Spirit Lake project site on the St. Louis River,” said U.S. Steel Senior Director of Environmental Remediation Mark Rupnow. “The significant environmental improvements to the St. Louis River Estuary and the former site of Duluth Works were only made possible by the collaboration and perseverance of the project partners. The area will provide an environmentally engaging space for years to come.”
The Spirit Lake site is located south of the Morgan Park neighborhood in Duluth, within the St. Louis River Area of Concern.
“Due
to the hard work of many of our volunteers, our section has provided many advances in diversity, equity, and inclusion. There is still much work to do in a variety of areas, but we also need to celebrate the ways we are improving our member and Board makeup to strengthen our perspectives”
The purpose of the project was to address chemicals in the sediment, primarily polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, and heavy metals including lead, copper and zinc. Work began in 2020 and continued throughout 2023. In total, 1.3 million cubic yards of impacted material was remediated. 460,000 cubic yards of sediment were dredged and placed into two newly built disposal facilities at the site. Protective caps were also placed over 96 acres of aquatic habitat. The project resulted in extensive restoration and habitat enhancement, including the creation of a new 42-acre shallow sheltered bay for fish spawning habitat.
This project is part of the larger effort to restore and delist the St. Louis River as a Great Lakes area of concern. EPA managed the Spirit Lake cleanup under the Great Lakes Legacy Act, a voluntary cleanup program funded by the federal Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding. As the non-federal sponsor, U.S. Steel provided project management, technical expertise, and covered the remainder of project costs.
Some of EPA’s portion of the funding comes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s $1 billion investment to accelerate cleanup and restoration of the Great Lakes. The agency is leveraging this funding with annual Great Lakes Restoration Initiative appropriations and funding from other sources to finish cleanups and restoration at the remaining 22 United States areas of concern. Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding directly supports 11 of these cleanups, including those in the St. Louis River Area of Concern.
More information about the project is available on EPA’s Spirit Lake webpage. •
Jay Cooke State Park near Carlton Minnesota.
Spirit Lake and Island in Duluth Minnesota.
Effective Corrosion Control Starts Here
Learn how to demystify corrosion control planning and implementation through AWWA’s Corrosion Control eLearning program. Geared toward utility staff, laboratory specialists, engineers, and regulators, this online education program will guide you all the way—from the chemistry of corrosion to performing a corrosion control evaluation. Courses are self-paced and may be completed on your own schedule.
• Course 1: Corrosion Control Theory and Treatment Options
• Course 2: Assessing Need for a Corrosion Control Evaluation
• Course 3: Performing a Corrosion Control Evaluation
• Course 4: (coming soon): Using a Corrosion Control Evaluation to Help Meet the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR)
Stay ahead of LCRR, become an expert on corrosion control theory and treatment, and help protect your community.
“Virtual design lets us help you be fully-integrated in the design process and get what truly works for your team!”
Steve Seibert, ead BIM/Revit Specialist
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Water Engineering and Beyond
NEW TRAINING HELPS UTILITIES
Manage Expensive and Wasteful Water Leakage
When water systems leak, they waste not only water, but also the energy and expense that went into treating it. To help water utilities be as efficient as possible, the AWWA has launched an online non-revenue water management training program.
The training program includes five eLearning courses designed to share best practices, tools, methods and guidance about managing and minimizing non-revenue water (NRW). The courses include strategies to improve water accountability, effectively control leakage and ensure reliable metering and billing of customer water consumption.
“With increasing regulatory requirements, cost constraints and a changing climate threatening the sustainability of some water supplies, water utilities need effective tools to manage NRW,” said George Kunkel, principal with Kunkel Water Efficiency Consulting, which developed the training program. “These drivers will gradually motivate more states and agencies to embrace this approach.”
The training series highlights the use of the latest version (6.0) of AWWA’s free water audit software, an industry standard tool used throughout North America and in other countries to quantify and assess the components of NRW during a water audit.
The five courses vary in length and are designed to be self-paced and completed in order. Participants who complete all five earn a certificate. Total course time is five hours and 45 minutes.
“Any water utility has a certain amount of leakage, but NRW is becoming a greater issue and we need to start tightening up and doing a more rigorous job detecting and controlling leakage losses,” Kunkel said. “As water utilities, we are stewards of one of our world’s most precious resources and it is incumbent on us to serve and protect our communities by providing a reliable water supply that’s available at a reasonable price.”
The eLearning courses include:
1. Assessing non-revenue water with the AWWA Water Audit method
2. Accurate metering of water production flows
3. Effective leakage and pressure management
4. Customer metering and billing operations for optimized revenue capture
5. Sustaining the non-revenue water management program
“There are constant innovations in technology that the commercial marketplace is providing to better manage water loss to greater degrees of accuracy,” Kunkel said. “Specifically, this includes pressure management, different approaches to leak detection, such as satellite, and continuing advances in meters and metering.”
AWWA is presenting the North American Water Loss Conference & Exhibition Dec. 5–7 in Denver. Additional information is available on AWWA’s water loss control page. Learn more about AWWA’s eLearning courses at awwa.org/eLearning. •
for Managing Nitrate i n Drinking Water GUIDANCE
he purpose of this document is to guide water planning activities, as it relates to nitrate in drinking water. This guidance establishes classification thresholds related to nitrate concentrations in drinking water, identifies where best management practices (BMPs) will be most effective, and provides recommendations for reporting outcomes of implementation activities.
Using nitrate as an indicator of drinking water quality
Nitrate is one of the most common water pollutants in Minnesota groundwater, affecting a large number of private wells and public water supplies. Elevated nitrate in drinking water can be harmful to human health, specifically to the health of infants. Because of its pervasive nature, the focus of the protection framework is based on the understanding of its occurrence and distribution in Minnesota groundwater resources. Factors linked to nitrate as an indicator of drinking water quality include:
Concentrations above 3 milligrams per liter (mg/L) is considered from anthropogenic sources or human impact on the environment. Fertilizers, manure, and septic systems are major sources of nitrate pollution in Minnesota.
Nitrate can be easily measured.
There is a potential for other contaminants, such as pesticides, when nitrate is present. The presence of nitrate indicates there is a pathway for contaminants from the lands surface to the drinking water aquifer.
Nitrate Protection Framework
The Minnesota Groundwater Protection Act established a prevention goal that groundwater be maintained in its natural condition, free from any degradation caused by human activity. Many state agencies are working to maintain and improve groundwater quality because of this act. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is the lead agency protecting drinking water quality for public water systems. This authority applies to the Wellhead Protection Program (MN Statute, chapter 103I, section 103l.101, subdivision 5[7]) and the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, both ensuring drinking water safety. Additionally, MDH manages the Minnesota Well Code governing the construction, maintenance, and sealing of wells (MN Rules, chapter 4725). The Well Code is the primary authority protecting private wells at the time of installation, once installed private well owners are responsible for ongoing operation and maintenance.
The Well Code is the primary authority protecting private wells at the time of installation, once installed private well owners are responsible for ongoing operation and maintenance.
The drinking water standard for nitrate in drinking water is 10 mg/L. The nitrate protection framework ranges from protection to restoration. Groundwater classified as protection is at risk to degradation, whereas groundwater classified as restoration exceeds the drinking water standard for nitrate. To better target activities and establish management priorities in the ‘Protection’ classification, the category is split into two subcategories: maintain and threatened. As nitrate concentrations increase, a greater level of management is required. The protection framework table below describes each nitrate classification and the associated implementation actions.
Implementation activities should build as you move from one classification to the next. For example, when nitrate concentrations increase from maintain to threatened, actions should still be proactive and preventive while engaging in contaminant source reduction or elimination. Changing nitrate concentrations may also dictate priorities within a certain class of the framework. For example, if multiple public water systems in a watershed have wells with nitrate concentration in the ‘protection- threatened’ classification, implementation should target systems with increasing trends, especially those at risk of exceeding 10 mg/L.
It can take years to decades for nitrate to manifest at high levels in the water we drink. The nitrate concentrations we see today are often a result of past land uses. Problems build slowly over time, are difficult to manage and take a long time to resolve. Therefore, protection activities take on added significance in groundwater management.
Targeting Conservation Activities
When it comes to protecting groundwater the same set of tools to protect surface water can be used. The main difference is where they are applied. For the effective management of nitrogen, activities should target:
Public Water Supplies with an MDH approved Drinking Water Supply Management Area (DWSMA) with a high or very high vulnerability. Other Public Water Supply Systems located in geologically sensitive or vulnerable areas with agriculture or associated land uses where nitrates may be present.
• Areas identified as highly sensitive to pollution, based on the time it takes recharge and contaminants at the ground surface to reach the underlying aquifer.
Other factors for consideration to target implementation activities include:
Aquifers used as a domestic source. Consider density of use as another layer for targeting.
Are nitrate trends trending upward? For example, monitoring results demonstrate an aquifer has moved from 3 mg/L (maintain) to 5.2 mg/L (threatened). This aquifer is at a tipping point and with active management the nitrate concentration may be reduced to 4.9 mg/L or less.
• Are changes in land use occurring that will likely contribute to elevated nitrates in the underlying aquifer? For example, is perennial cover or forests being converted into a more intensive land use, such as row crop production?
Proactive and preventive;
• Maintain existing land cover by discouraging or preventing land conversion
• Contaminant source management on existing land uses (Agricultural BMPs, SSTS management, easements, forest management plans)
Contaminant source reduction or elimination;
• Shifting land uses away from those that may leach excess nitrogen (Alternative Management Tools, upgrade failing SSTS, easements)
Active intervention required by public water supplies to avoid drinking water consumption (new sources; treatment) while still aiming for long term contaminant source mitigation through reduction and elimination
Table 1: Nitrate protection framework and associated land use management goals
Setting Measurable Goals
Defining measurable goals is an important part of water resource management. Goals allow us to evaluate the effectiveness of a given approach and to modify an activity if it is not achieving the expected results. However, when applied to groundwater it becomes more challenging because:
• Predictive tools are not currently available to measure the impact of conservation activities on groundwater.
• It can take a long time for land use changes to have an effect on groundwater quality.
• Lack of baseline data related to groundwater quality. Therefore, other methods must be used to show implementation progress toward groundwater goals. Below are some examples that may prove useful in reporting the outcomes of implementation:
• Use Nitrate Monitoring Data – monitoring nitrate levels in a well can be an effective tool to measure success, however response in an aquifer can be slow. Consider incremental goals when planning for the desired future condition, such as a 10 percent reduction in nitrate concentration during the first five years of the planning cycle (10 mg/L of nitrate – 10% = 9 mg/L of nitrate) or a positive change in the nitrate concentration trend. Public water supply wells with greater than 5.4 mg/L nitrate are monitored on a quarterly basis, which provides a robust dataset for water planning purposes.
• Select a manageable and defined area – considering targeted areas, such as vulnerable drinking water supply management areas (DWSMAs), MDA’s Township Testing areas, DNR’s Groundwater Management Areas, or small sub-watershed boundaries (HUC 12 or smaller) will increase the chances for demonstrating success.
• Show multiple benefits – a conservation practice provides environmental benefit beyond the resource concern that is being managed for, the ancillary benefits are called ecosystem services often referred to as multiple benefits.
• An example is managing field runoff from nutrients. Traditionally runoff is managed for the protection of surface waters, that same conservation practice also minimizes nutrient loss to groundwater in areas sensitive to pollution. In this example, report on the edge of field nutrient reductions as an outcome of implementation activities.
• Utilize scientific research findings – There are several research sites in Minnesota, and the surrounding states, that have studied nitrate leaching under various cropping systems and conservation practices. Assuming the research site has similar soils and cropping systems to your project area, one could conclude a comparable nitrate reduction will result from implementing a conservation practice.
One or a combination of the methods listed above will help in reporting the outcomes of work performed. Employing the use of a logic model is a useful framework to think through and establish measurable goals relating to your desired future condition of reducing nitrate in drinking water.
Managing nitrate in groundwater can be challenging. When possible, keeping nitrate out of groundwater is the best approach, however when nitrate is present active management is required to reduce the concentration. The concepts identified in this document will help make the most of conservation efforts as it relates to nitrate in groundwater.
•
Problems build slowly over time, are difficult to manage and take a long time to resolve. Therefore, protection activities take on added significance in groundwater management.
Over the last 125 years, our company has evolved and grown beyond our regional roots in the Dakotas. To better reflect our commitment to our partners across America’s heartland, we’ve streamlined our identity from Dakota Supply Group to DSG. While our look may have changed, our dedication to our employee owners, customers, manufacturers, and communities has never been stronger.
There’s
Test Your Well Water After Flooding
By Anne Nelson, University of Minnesota Extension Water Resources Educator
If you have a private well water supply after heavy rains or flooding is a good time to inspect your well and get your drinking water tested at a certified laboratory. Proper well construction can help keep outside water, debris, and rodents from getting into your drinking water source, but sometimes small issues can go unnoticed.
What to test for and why
Drinking water contaminants are usually absorbed by the soil before they enter a well but sometimes if a well isn’t sealed or constructed correctly, they can enter the system. In particular, severe weather and flooding can make these issues worse.
Private wells should be tested annually for coliform bacteria. This bacteria in itself is harmless but is an indicator that some other potentially dangerous bacteria may also be in your water such as E. Coli. If any foreign material such as rodents or animal feces ended up in your well, a coliform bacteria test can tell you whether or not you need to investigate further.
To take a water sample, work with a certified water testing lab near you. They will provide instructions on how and when to test your water. Make sure to follow handling and sanitizing instructions since there can be false-positive results if you don’t sanitize your faucet well enough before sampling.
See a list of certified water testing labs in Minnesota here: www.health.state.mn.us/ communities/environment/water/docs/wells/ waterquality/labmap.pdf.
Well construction tips
Minnesota has had an established well code since 1974, making well construction standardized.
• A well must have a sanitary well cap.
• The electrical conduit must also be sealed into the cap.
• The cap must be at least 12 inches above the ground surface in case of flooding.
• There should also be a well ID tag attached to the pipe, though some older wells may not have these. If applicable to your area some wells have a gas vent from the cap with a mesh screen.
“Proper well construction can help keep outside water, debris, and rodents from getting into your drinking water source, but sometimes small issues can go unnoticed.”
When you partner with MSA, it’s more than a project. It’s a commitment.
If it involves water, MSA Professional Services has the expertise to address it. Big or small, we do whatever it takes to meet each need, working to make Minnesota municipalities stronger in the process.
“ If you have something that needs to be fixed you can contact a licensed well driller to get an inspection and estimate of costs. ”
When inspecting your well make sure all these features are being met. Some things to look for are:
• A crack in the electrical conduit piping.
• The sanitary cap is loose from the well pipe.
• Or the mesh screen on the gas vent (if applicable) is badly worn.
Any one of these can be an opportunity for
different contaminants to enter your well. If you have something that needs to be fixed you can contact a licensed well driller to get an inspection and estimate of costs.
A list of licensed well drillers in Minnesota is available here: www.health.state.mn.us/ communities/environment/water/wells/ lwc/index.html. •
Learn more anout drinking water contaminants here: https://extension.umn.edu/ homes-and-water/drinking-water-minnesota.
Cracked PVC pipe encasing wire
The sanitary cap is not connected to the well pipe
Wellhead vent and mesh screen
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PROTECTING Vulnerable Drinking Water Sources
Source: MN Department of Health
Background
Of the approximately 50 million acres in Minnesota, 1.2 million acres are located in Drinking Water Supply Management Areas (DWSMAs). DWSMAs are the areas surrounding public water supply wells that contribute water to the well or surface water intake.
Land within DWSMAs can be highly vulnerable to contamination from the land surface because of their geologic conditions. Currently, there are approximately 400,000 acres in vulnerable groundwater DWSMAs, although this may change over time as DWSMA delineations are updated. Vulnerable groundwater DWSMAs represent less than one percent of the overall land area of the state (see map). These vulnerable areas cover a wide range of land uses, ranging from urban to agricultural to forested areas.
Surface water DWSMAs can also be vulnerable to contaminants in runoff from the land surface. MDH is working towards delineating DWSMAs for all systems using surface water, but there are over seven million acres in Source Water Assessment areas for these systems.
In vulnerable DWSMAs, land use is an important factor that can influence water quality. Certain land uses are more protective of water quality than others, such as forested land, wetlands, perennial cover, prairies, or public parks. There are increasing efforts to target vulnerable areas in DWSMAs and protect them with conservation practices, easements, zoning overlays or other measures.
Certain land uses are more protective of water quality than others, such as forested land, wetlands, perennial cover, prairies, or public parks.
Goal and objectives
The Source Water Protection Program at Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has a goal to protect vulnerable land in DWSMAs statewide by 2034. MDH plans to achieve this goal by working with state and local partners to protect vulnerable areas with land uses and activities that benefit water quality. State partners can help manage point sources of contamination, such as tanks and landfills, and local partners can assist with management of nonpoint sources of contamination, such as fertilizer or pesticide application. In doing so, state and local partners can assure continued safety of drinking water sources.
In cases where threats extend beyond the scope and jurisdiction of local partners, this initiative will also inform priorities for state planning through comprehensive watershed framework.
What it means to protect vulnerable sources
MDH aims to secure long-term sustainability of source water quality and quantity for all Minnesotans. While ‘protection’ sounds like a simple concept, in practice, it can be difficult and complex to achieve because settings and threats vary considerably across Minnesota.
Given the diversity in settings and threats, activities to achieve protection need to vary as well. In some places, protection may involve land use controls, conservation measures, or easements, while in others, protection may be achieved by managing potential sources of contamination. MDH is developing a conceptual framework and resources to characterize DWSMAs’ physical settings, assess risks to the source, and address risks in a systematic fashion.
State partners can help manage point sources of contamination, such as tanks and landfills, and local partners can assist with management of nonpoint sources of contamination, such as fertilizer or pesticide application.
Our approach
MDH is planning activities to measure and evaluate protection of the vulnerable areas within DWSMAs. MDH will also work with state and local partners to create the tools and plan needed to advance this initiative. These resources will allow MDH, public water systems, and other stakeholders to identify appropriate protection measures for the diverse DWSMAs in the state, and measure progress accordingly.
Our approach includes the following steps:
• Characterizing DWSMAs – MDH will assess and categorize vulnerable DWSMAs based on their characteristics, such as physical setting, land use, and risks to drinking water.
• Comparative risk assessment – MDH will compare, evaluate, and rank potential contaminant sources in vulnerable DWSMAs by their public health risk.
• Creating a framework – MDH will develop a conceptual framework that outlines appropriate protection measures based on DWSMA characteristics and potential contaminant sources.
• Developing a measurement and evaluation plan – MDH will develop indicators, tools, and benchmarks to measure and evaluate progress towards the goal.
After developing the framework and associated resources, MDH, public water systems, and partners will work together to identify, implement, and evaluate protection measures in DWSMAs.
Considerations for planning and implementation
1. DWSMAs have diverse characteristics Across Minnesota, landscapes can look dramatically different. Below the land surface, the geology of Minnesota is also varied. DWSMAs across the state can have diverse characteristics that affect the types of contaminant threats they face, their vulnerability to contamination, and the feasibility of protection.
Factors that can affect contaminant risks within a DWSMA include:
• Land use – Activities or features on the land can affect the quality of drinking water sources. Land use varies across urban, rural, and suburban settings. Examples of different land uses include row crop agriculture, forested land, and sewered subdivisions.
• Potential contaminant sources – Certain activities and features in the DWSMA can introduce contamination to the drinking water source. These can include abandoned wells, septic systems, feedlots, or aging wastewater or stormwater infrastructure. Practices on the land surface can also introduce contamination into source waters, such as fertilizer and pesticide application.
Factors that can affect the vulnerability of the DWSMA include:
• Hydrogeology – The geology in the DWSMA affects how easily and quickly contaminants can move through soils and subsoils into the aquifers that supply drinking water. The hydrogeology across the state is diverse and there are several unique regions, such as the karst region in southeastern Minnesota and the Central Sands region.
• Water use – The type and amount of water use can affect the vulnerability of drinking water sources. High pumping at wells can influence vulnerability by creating flow conditions that draw water from shallow, vulnerable environments into deeper settings.
• Groundwater-surface water interactions – In many settings across Minnesota, water is exchanged between surface water bodies and groundwater aquifers. This can be a concern where vulnerable surface water recharges or infiltrates into groundwater near public water system wells. These conditions can create pathways for contaminants in surface water to enter groundwater.
In urban areas, ‘protected’ lands may feature BMPs that reduce contamination from stormwater, underground storage tanks, turf management practices, or aging wastewater infrastructure.
Factors that can affect the feasibility of protecting land in the DWSMA include:
• Ownership – Land within a DWSMA may be publicly owned, privately owned, or a combination of both. Privately owned land may also be rented, and the owner may not reside in the area.
• Jurisdictional area of the public water system – MDH and public water systems have limited ability to influence land use in DWSMAs, since much of the land is privately owned and outside of municipal jurisdiction.
• Type of contaminant source – Addressing nonpoint source contamination on a regional scale is a major challenge. Activities to address regional nonpoint source contamination can also be affected by changes to programs such as Clean Water Fund programs, Clean Water Act programs, or the Farm Bill.
• Groundwater or surface water source – In Minnesota, most community public water systems use groundwater for their source of drinking water, but 23 systems use surface water. Source water protection is required for systems using groundwater, but voluntary for systems that use surface water.
• Geographic DWSMA characteristics –The geographic characteristics of a DWSMA can also affect the feasibility of protection, such as DWSMA size. Surface water DWSMAs often receive water from large watersheds.
• Area – DWSMAs in urban, suburban, and rural areas may face different regional water- related issues and pressures based on their characteristics, such as land use, potential for urbanization, and industries. Additionally, the types of appropriate implementation activities and tools can vary across urban, suburban, and rural settings.
• Updated DWSMA delineation from amendment process –The boundaries of some communities’ DWSMAs may change over time as they update and amend their Source Water Protection Plans. Changing boundaries may affect the size of the DWSMA and properties within it.
2. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to protection
Since DWSMAs have diverse characteristics and potential contaminants, there are many ways to protect them from contamination. This means there is no one-size-fits-all approach to protecting our drinking water sources.
For example, conservation easements on former agricultural lands place significant land use restrictions on enrolled lands for long periods of time. In urban areas, ‘protected’ lands may feature BMPs that reduce contamination from stormwater, underground storage tanks, turf management practices, or aging wastewater infrastructure. An array of protection measures is needed to address different potential sources of contamination, land uses, and settings.
Protection measures will also need to be tailored for individual DWSMAs based on what is economically, socially, or politically feasible for the community. Indicators to track and measure progress will need to be flexible to the situation within each DWSMA. Certain protection measures will be more beneficial than others based on their:
• Duration – For example, one-year easement contracts do not provide the same benefits to water quality as permanent easements.
• Renewal – For example, annual payments for cover crop adoption do not guarantee that cover crops will be planted the following year.
• Impact – Managing a potential source of contamination does not provide the same protection as eliminating or removing it.
• Location and coverage – Protection measures are generally more impactful if they cover a larger area and are closer to the intake or well.
• Multiple benefits – Some protection measures may provide benefits to the community or ecosystem in addition to drinking water protection.
• Local support and feasibility – Certain measures will be more successful in areas where there is existing technical expertise, support, and capacity at the local level.
3. There are practical barriers to land use changes
Achieving the highest level of protection may require substantial land use changes, which has several practical barriers. Most lands within DWSMAs are outside the jurisdictional boundaries of public water systems, and systems have limited influence on how those lands are used.
Agricultural land uses and practices are driven by complex existing agricultural and economic systems, which are difficult to change. Lastly, where land use changes are recommended for protection, implementation of Source Water Protection Plans is largely voluntary. However, truly sustainable protection for the most vulnerable drinking water sources may require transformational change, and that is the ultimate goal for vulnerable DWSMAs.
4. Land use data is limited, and multiple data sources will be needed
There are several data challenges to tracking and evaluating progress towards this goal. One challenge in tracking changes in land use over time is the availability of data. While some lands within DWSMAs are permanently protected through easements or conservation, this data is not currently available. Having publicly available data on land in conservation would provide a more accurate representation of long-term protection of drinking water sources. Making these data available would help local implementers plan activities to protect Minnesota drinking water now and in the future. However, some of this data is protected by statute or rule and will not be readily available for this initiative.
Having publicly available data on land in conservation would provide a more accurate representation of long-term protection of drinking water sources. Making these data available would help local implementers plan activities to protect Minnesota drinking water now and in the future.
Statewide data on land use is available through the National Land Cover Database (NLCD). These data show land uses such as forestry, wetlands, agriculture, and development. However, these land use categories are an insufficient indicator for drinking water protection. Land use categories do not account for BMPs that protect water quality. For example, conservation practices can mitigate contamination in agricultural areas, and stormwater BMPs can reduce contamination from runoff in urban areas. Additionally, updated NLCD data is only released every five years.
We also lack predictive tools to predict and evaluate the impacts of protection measures on water quality. Without these tools, it is difficult to assess the number of acres and practices needed to maintain or reduce contaminant levels.
Multiple data sources will be needed to track the various protection measures used in DWSMAs. A number of indicators will be needed to reflect protection activities and BMPs that are appropriate across various settings. Some of these activities and BMPs may be tracked by other state agencies or partners, although data may be reported at the county, watershed, or state scale, requiring MDH to estimate or request data at the DWSMA scale.
In summary, this initiative will require multiple sources and types of data, and additional challenges remain for data availability and obtaining DWSMA-scale data. MDH will need to work with its state and local partners to identify and modify existing tools and create new tools to collect data needed for this initiative. •
September 16-19, 2025
Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center (DECC), Duluth, Minnesota
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