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What is the Joint Water Commission (JWC)? The Joint Water Commission (JWC) is a joint powers agency created by the cities of Golden Valley, Crystal, and New Hope in 1963. The purpose of the JWC is to own, operate, and maintain a water system to store and transmit drinking water purchased from Minneapolis to the three cities for distribution to their residents. The city managers of the three cities comprise the JWC board and make decisions on capital projects, budgets, and the operations and maintenance of the water system. Where does my water come from now? Your drinking water comes from the Mississippi River. It is pumped, treated, and transmitted to the JWC's reservoirs in Crystal and Golden Valley by the Minneapolis Water Works. If a new water system is chosen, where will my water come from? If the three city councils decide to construct a new water supply and treatment system, your water will come from the Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifer. An aquifer is a water-bearing rock formation. The Prairie Du Chien-Jordan aquifer system is a large formation located some 500 feet below the ground. It is protected by several confining layers of rock and clay. If the new system is constructed, the JWC would pump water from this aquifer for treatment prior to distribution to customers. Why is the JWC considering a new water system? You've probably noticed that your water bills have increased quite a bit lately. These increases, totaling some 150% over the past six years, are primarily due to the increasing cost of treating Mississippi River water. Minneapolis is undertaking a $140 million treatment technology upgrade to remove contaminants from its water supply. Additional, unbudgeted improvements will likely be necessary to meet emerging federal drinking water standards. By comparison, groundwater is relatively cost-effective to treat. Groundwater, particularly that from well-protected, deep aquifers like the Prairie du Chien-Jordan, is not exposed to contaminants found in surface water sources like the Mississippi River. In order to continue to provide its customers the highest quality water most cost-effectively, a new system may need to be constructed. This investment will ensure a secure, reliable, and cost-effective supply for the future. Wouldn't it be more expensive to construct new water pumping and treatment facilities than to continue to buy water from the city of Minneapolis? JWC studies indicate that a new water supply and treatment system, delivering water by 2007, would cost 1/3 less than the cost of Minneapolis water. The JWC has been conservative in estimating its costs. Isn't groundwater typically harder than surface water? Would I need a water softener with the new system? You will not need a water softener if a new water system is constructed. While groundwater is typically harder than surface water, the JWC plans to deploy a conventional lime softening process like that used by Minneapolis. An assumption throughout the JWC's studies has been that a new water system should provide water of similar water quality compared to that which customers enjoy today. Where would the plant be located? The JWC is still in the process of identifying viable sites for a water treatment plant. Some of the factors used in identifying and evaluating these sites will be compatibility with community development and planning goals and objectives. Would the plant be noisy or emit odors into the surrounding neighborhood? Water treatment plants are fully-enclosed. Any odors would be collected through air handling systems and eliminated. The Minnesota Department of Health oversees and approves plans and specifications for such facilities. Some noise may be expected due to truck traffic. Trucks would be used to deliver chemicals and materials to the facility and transport waste products from the facility to disposal sites. No waste materials would be stored or disposed of on-site. Where would the 10 wells for the new water system be located? Wells to pump groundwater from the aquifer would ideally be located in an area surrounding the treatment facility. The wells could not be sited too close together and would ideally be located in park or other public open space areas. The JWC would ensure that wellhead protection plans are in-place and administered. Will the quality of the water be as good as our current water supply? The JWC is considering a conventional lime softening process to treat the groundwater. This process, successfully used by water utilities for almost one hundred years, is particularly good at removing metallic constituents (e.g. iron, manganese, and magnesium) in water that cause a water to be "hard." This treatment process will produce similar water quality to that currently produced by Minneapolis. Is the water as safe as our current water supply? A properly designed, constructed, and operated groundwater system is every bit as safe as a surface water system. A system relying on a number of wells may well be more safe than a surface water system relying on a single intake for river water. Groundwater, particularly from a deep, well-protected source like the Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifer, is probably safer than river water. Contaminants spilled on the ground are blocked by clay, confining layers located above such deep aquifer systems. When will a final decision about a new water system be made? The JWC expects to forward a recommendation to the three city councils later this year after aquifer test results are analyzed. If a new water system is approved, when would Crystal, Golden Valley, and New Hope water customers begin using water from the new system? If the three councils decide to proceed before the end of the year, it is planned that a new water system could deliver "first water" in 2007. What are the advantages of building and being in charge of our own system? While there are advantages and disadvantages to any water system, there may be some unique advantages to a system owned and operated by the JWC. One advantage is that the JWC reports directly to the three city councils. As such, directives from the three cities regarding operations, maintenance, budgeting and customer service could easily extend to the new water system. Policies regarding preventive maintenance, water quality testing, and asset management could be much more easily implemented. It is expected that a system owned and operated by the JWC would result in lower long-term water bills. What are the long term advantages to using groundwater? State and federal drinking water regulations have evolved over the past several years. Surface water sources have become much more difficult and expensive to treat to a level to ensure that public health is adequately protected. These changes are reflected in our increasing water bills lately. Groundwater, due to its more protected nature, is inherently easier to treat. There is also a long-term advantage to securing an appropriation to the groundwater located beneath the three cities. This appropriation will ensure, in perpetuity, that the three cities have a secure source of water. If your question has not been answered here, please submit an information request. |
