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Water Conservation Policy Approaches For The City of White Bear Lake ESPM 4041W Problem Solving for Environmental Change University of Minnesota - College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences Report 6/9 Prepared by: Sabrina Kabitz Caralie Randolph Kalia Lee Madeline Steffel December 6, 2019

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Page 1: Water Conservation Policy Approaches For The City of White Bear … · Water Conservation Policy Approaches For The City of White Bear Lake ESPM 4041W Problem Solving for Environmental

Water Conservation Policy Approaches

For The City of White Bear Lake

ESPM 4041W Problem Solving for Environmental Change

University of Minnesota -

College of Food, Agricultural and

Natural Resource Sciences

Report 6/9

Prepared by:

Sabrina Kabitz

Caralie Randolph

Kalia Lee

Madeline Steffel

December 6, 2019

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Contents List of Figures ................................................................................................................................ v

List of Tables ................................................................................................................................. v

Acknowledgments ........................................................................................................................ vi

Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................... 1

Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 2

2014 Water Conservation Report For The City of White Bear Lake .......................................... 2

Scope ........................................................................................................................................... 4

White Bear Lake Vision Statement .............................................................................................. 4

Class Vision Statement ................................................................................................................ 4

Water Conservation Policy Report Vision Statement ................................................................. 5

Objectives .................................................................................................................................... 5

Methods .......................................................................................................................................... 6

Site Description ........................................................................................................................... 6

Research Techniques .................................................................................................................. 7

Preliminary Survey ................................................................................................................. 7

Secondary Survey .................................................................................................................... 7

Water Consumption Analysis .................................................................................................. 8

Comparative Case Studies ...................................................................................................... 9

Findings ........................................................................................................................................ 11

Water Consumption Analysis .................................................................................................... 11

Secondary Survey Results ......................................................................................................... 14

Environmental Awareness and Outreach ................................................................................. 16

Overview ............................................................................................................................... 16

Case Study: City of Ramsey, Minnesota ........................................................................ 16

Case Study: City of Chanhassen, Minnesota ........................................................................ 17

Case Study: City of Elk River, Minnesota ...................................................................... 17

Case study: Earth Scope and Social Media .......................................................................... 18

Irrigation Policies of White Bear Lake and Nearby Cities ....................................................... 21

Overview ............................................................................................................................... 21

Metropolitan Council Case Study of Twin Cities Metro ....................................................... 22

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Smart Water Metering............................................................................................................... 24

Overview ............................................................................................................................... 24

Residential vs. Industrial Meters .......................................................................................... 25

Cost ....................................................................................................................................... 25

Case Example: Minneapolis, Minnesota .............................................................................. 26

Case Example: Pemberton, British Columbia ...................................................................... 27

Options ......................................................................................................................................... 30

Option 1: Establish an Environmental Awareness and Outreach Program ............................ 30

Option 2: Maintaining the Current Irrigation Policies of White Bear Lake ............................ 31

Option 3: Implementing Smart Water Metering Infrastructure ................................................ 31

Short Term: Mandatory Smart Metering in Selected Government Buildings....................... 31

Long Term: Residential Smart Metering .............................................................................. 32

Conclusion ................................................................................................................................... 34

References .................................................................................................................................... 35

Appendices ................................................................................................................................... 39

Appendix A: Preliminary Water Conservation Survey ............................................................. 39

Appendix B: Secondary Water Conservation Survey................................................................ 40

Appendix C: Water Consumption and Precipitation Table ...................................................... 42

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List of Figures

Figure 1. Recorded water levels of White Bear Lake 2009 to 2019 ............................................... 3

Figure 2: Map of White Bear Lake ................................................................................................. 6

Figure 3. Total water consumption 2007 to 2018 ......................................................................... 11

Figure 4. Relationship between average rates and water consumption per year .......................... 12

Figure 5. Relationship between average precipitation and water consumption per year .............. 13

Figure 6. Survey results on Irrigation Policy ................................................................................ 14

Figure 7. Survey Results on Water Conservation Promotion ....................................................... 14

Figure 8. Survey Result of Interest in Educational Programs ....................................................... 15

Figure 9. Survey Results for Awareness Program ........................................................................ 15

Figure 10. Preliminary Survey Results about Household Water Consumption............................ 24

List of Tables Table 1. Overview of Comparative Case Study Methodology ....................................................... 9

Table 2. Current approaches, strengths and weaknesses of current cities .................................... 19

Table 3. Irrigation Policies for Metropolitan Area cities in focus ................................................ 22

Table 4. American Water Works Association Meter Costs .......................................................... 26

Table 5. Estimated Water Savings from Metering........................................................................ 28

Table 6. Capital Costs for Metering Implementation ................................................................... 28

Table 7. Meter Implementation Costs for Six Government Buildings ......................................... 32

Table 8. Estimated Water Savings from Smart Metering ............................................................. 33

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Acknowledgments

We would like to express gratitude to the City of White Bear Lake in aiding us through our

reassessment of the Water Conservation Policy written in 2014. We would especially like to

thank Ellen Hiniker, the City Manager, who directed us and supported us in our project. We

would also like to thank Jennifer Morse, the Utility Billing Clerk, who provided us valuable

information that made this project possible, and Kara Coustry for helping us reach interested

residents of the City of White Bear Lake. We would like to thank Pat Igo, who let us reach out

the members of “White Bear Lake Life” on Facebook, and the members of “White Bear Lake

Life” who provided us valuable information. And finally, we would like to thank the residents of

White Bear for their feedback and contribution to our project and a sustainable future.

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Executive Summary

The conversation about water conservation has evolved. In 2013, the City’s namesake lake was

at an all-time low, sparking concern over groundwater conservation. Today, the White Bear Lake

levels are nearing its historic high. This report aims to explore options to improve White Bear

Lake’s water conservation efforts and focuses on providing the City of White Bear Lake with

recommendations for adopting policies and programs that will continue to promote water

conservation and ensure the sustainability of groundwater in the City for future generations.

A handful of methods were utilized to compile this report, including preliminary and secondary

surveys, comparative case study review, and an analysis of City water consumption trends over

time. Based upon this research we have identified the following recommendations for the City:

• Water Conservation Awareness: The City of White Bear Lake would be suitable for a

water conservation awareness program. Nearby Cities in Minnesota have implemented

successful water conservation awareness programs. This can be a cost-effective approach

that helps generate resident support while avoiding negative backlash of approaches to

reducing water consumption that may require the city to increase tax rates or place

restrictions on resident activities.

• White Bear Lake Irrigation Policy: The City of White Bear Lake should maintain its

current irrigation policy as it matches current scientific recommendations and has

majority public support. Versus other nearby cities, it does follow the scientific

recommendations.

• Smart Metering: The City of White Bear Lake has potential for smart metering in its

government and residential buildings due to space in government buildings for smart

metering and infrastructure investments for residential expansion that would be in place.

Smart metering provides real-time data of water consumption and would provide an

educational component for residents who don’t understand their monthly water usage.

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Introduction

Water is one of, if not the most, valuable resource in the world yet it is a resource that is not

unlimited. Even in Minnesota, the state that is home to over 10,000 lakes, the demand for

groundwater resources topples over the limited supply available in our many lakes, streams, and

wetlands (Freshwater Society, 2013). The City of White Bear Lake (the City) is one of many

Minnesota municipalities that has been affected by these limitations. The City itself is a hotspot

for swimming, kayaking, and other outdoor recreational activities. Located on one of the largest

lakes in the St. Paul-Minneapolis metropolitan area, White Bear Lake’s water levels are always

fluctuating due to factors such as natural weather events, extended and/or shortened seasons, and

current groundwater use (MN DNR, 2019a). In a city where water is always the forefront, the

conservation of it may seem obvious. In Minnesota, groundwater is the source for roughly 75%

of the state’s drinking water and almost 100% of crop irrigation (MN DNR, 2018). The City of

White Bear Lake is no exception to these trends and is vulnerable to shifts in weather patterns

and natural events.

2014 Water Conservation Report For The City of White Bear Lake

Prior to this report, the ESPM 4041W class of 2014 provided seven reports to the City of White

Bear Lake, all with a series of recommendations for future city policies pertaining to the

respective reports’ topics. One of those reports was on Water Conservation and the steps the City

should take in regard to saving water.

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Figure 1. Recorded water levels of White Bear Lake 2009 to 2019

As Figure 1 shows, lake levels had been progressively declining over time from 923.3 ft. in

2006, to 920.2 ft in 2010, to 918.9 ft, the lowest water level in the lake’s recorded history, in

2013 (MN DNR, 2019a). This deteriorating lake level was attributed to over-withdrawal of the

aquifer that supplies the lake (Bunnell et. al, 2014). In 2012, the White Bear Lake Homeowners

Association and the White Bear Lake Restoration Association filed a lawsuit against the

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MN DNR) asserting that the department was

infringing the state’s water sustainability standards. The associations claimed that the low lake

levels the City had been experiencing was the outcome of the MN DNR allowing surrounding

communities to overuse the groundwater for drinking water. As those were the conditions and

considerations of the prior report, the respective research was tailored to respond to those

conditions.

In August of 2017, the Ramsey County District Court sided with the White Bear Lake

Associations and ordered that the MN DNR make changes to existing water extraction permits

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held within a five mile radius of the City and for the department to complete a groundwater

water analysis to decipher if additional changes were necessary (MN DNR, 2018). A 2018 report

by the MN DNR concluded that while groundwater use played a part in the decreasing lake

levels, groundwater use in White Bear Lake is in tune with the state’s sustainability standards.

As Figure 1 shows, conditions have changed since 2013. The lake level currently stands at 925.1

ft (MNDNR, 2019a). This is closer to the historic high of 926.7 ft. in 1943 than the historic low

of 2013 (MNDNR, 2019a).

Scope

Now that conditions in White Bear Lake have changed, research must be directed to respond to

these new conditions. This means the scope of the research is less focused on how to make lake

levels rise and more focused upon what the City of White Bear Lake can do to continue to

encourage sustainable groundwater use and ensure the conservation of this valuable resource into

the future. This research has been directed towards providing recommendations regarding water

conservation practices that will contribute to the ecological, economic and social sustainability of

the City’s water resources.

White Bear Lake Vision Statement

“White Bear Lake will be responsive to the physical, safety and environmental requirements of

its citizens through innovative leadership, planning and civic management. The Mayor, City

Council and city employees will ensure the availability of a broad range of cost-effective

services, emphasizing a personalized approach that accommodates the special needs of

individuals and neighborhoods and utilizes available public and private resources.”

Class Vision Statement

“These reports represent the collaborative work between University of Minnesota students, the

City of White Bear Lake, and engaged community members. Through interdisciplinary research

and public interest, we aim to foster a safe and environmentally aware city. The options provided

serve as a feasible guide to promote further environmental resilience and sustainable growth for

the community and future generations.”

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Water Conservation Policy Report Vision Statement

“Through cooperation and collaboration with the City of White Bear Lake, sustainable water

conservation policies will be refined for both the urban and residential areas of the City. The

policies will be curated to accommodate long-term goals, allowing for adaptability and

awareness for future water conditions.”

Objectives

• To comprehend past and current water consumption trends of the City of White Bear

Lake for future action

• To understand the City of White Bear Lake residents’ participation and perception of

water conservation practices and policies

• To provide the City of White Bear Lake with water conservation policy options that

associate with the three pillars of sustainability: ecological, economic, and social to

provide a sustainable outcome

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Methods

Site Description

The location of the City of

White Bear Lake brands it

as an aquaphile’s paradise.

Situated in both Ramsey

and Washington counties,

the City is home to several

lakes of varying sizes, with

White Bear Lake being its

most well-known feature

for numerous recreational

activities (Figure 2)

(Minnesota Compass,

2019). These include

biking, walking, kayaking,

boating, bird-watching,

fishing, and more. The

City’s downtown, up-north

atmosphere serves as a

popular attraction for tourists, and also current residents. It is located within 15 miles of both

Minneapolis and St. Paul and is surrounded by a dozen more well-known Minnesota cities

(Ramsey County, 2018). The City’s limits stretch from concrete freeways to natural reservoirs,

appealing to anyone looking to visit or stay for a while.

With an estimated population of 25,932 people, White Bear Lake has shown that it’s

comfortable, inviting atmosphere is quite desirable (Minnesota Compass, 2019). Data from

Figure 2: Map of White Bear Lake

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Minnesota Compass shows that a majority of the employees working in the City work in the

healthcare and social assistance field. Nearly half of City residents fall into the middle-class

category, and that is out of about 10,000 households (Minnesota Compass, 2019). The City

prides itself as being an established, solid city where families can live comfortably, and

education can be accessed by residents or those living nearby.

Research Techniques

Preliminary Survey

A preliminary survey was constructed to gauge general public opinions and awareness of water

conservation in the City, as well as opinions on current water policy. The survey was formatted

as six statements that required respondents to check a box that reflected their level of agreement

with the given statement, ranging from “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree” (See Appendix

A). An “additional comments” section was also included for further elaboration or insight. On

Saturday, September 14th, 2019, two group members attended White Bear Township Day, a

public event at Polar Lakes Park in the City of White Bear Lake. They spent approximately two

hours (2PM - 4PM) canvassing the event for voluntary participants who live in the City to

consent to the anonymous paper survey. Of the approximately 75 individuals who were asked,

fourteen surveys were completed resulting in a 18.67% response rate. The majority of

respondents were older Caucasian females. Survey results were recorded in a Google Sheets

table where participant answers were analyzed and compared. This survey helped to identify

common themes and opinions that informed the design of the second online survey to be

distributed more widely to City citizens.

Secondary Survey

Based off of the results from the preliminary survey and information gathered from the 2014

report analysis and a literature review, a second survey was created. The purpose of the survey

was to gather data on public attitudes towards the themes that were deemed as important from

the analysis of the preliminary survey. Formatting was similar to the preliminary survey, five

statements were proposed that asked respondents to rate their viewpoints on the statement,

ranging from “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree”. A sixth statement was also included that

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asked respondents to check boxes that reflected personal efforts to conserve water, as well as an

“additional comments” section for further elaboration or insight (See Appendix B).

The survey was created on Google Forms so that it could be electronically dispatched to reach a

wider demographic of the public. On October 22, 2019, the survey link was posted on the official

White Bear Lake Facebook page and to a private Facebook group called White Bear Lake Life.

The survey was open for responses until November 5th, 2019. From October 22, 2019 to

November 5th, 2019, 73 people responded to the survey. Respondents were not asked to disclose

personal information (i.e. names) to ensure their anonymity and encourage accurate results. A

single demographics question was included to ensure respondents resided in the City or they felt

as it was their home. Reponses were analyzed and compared using Google forms.

Water Consumption Analysis

Informal communication through email with Jennifer Morse provided information on how water

consumption works in the City. Conservation with Ms. Morse helped narrow and guide the

research on possible options for the City of White Bear Lake.

Water consumption reports for the City were also provided (See Appendix C). Yearly total water

consumption for the City of White Bear Lake and outdoor water use from recorded irrigation

water lines from 2007-2018 was listed. As part of our analysis, our team investigated potential

factors that may influence water consumption trends in the City over time. We hypothesized that

city water rates and/or precipitation may influence water consumption. To test these hypotheses,

we compared City water consumption data with data on both precipitation and the amount the

City charged for water during that same time period. We first compared annual water

consumption data against corresponding yearly water rates. Second, we compared outdoor water

use over time with data on precipitation trends in Ramsey County over time (See Appendix C) to

understand the relationship between yearly water consumption and yearly precipitation.

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Comparative Case Studies

After an analysis of existing literature, a review of our preliminary survey results, and

conversations with White Bear Lake, several water conservation strategies that had potential for

the City were identified. These strategies included:

1. Focusing on reducing water demand through educating city residents

2. Evaluating White Bear Lake’s current irrigation policy

3. Investigating smart-metering options for the City

To understand how each of these strategies have been used by other cities interested in

promoting water conservation, a comparative case analysis for each strategy was conducted.

Comparative case studies were conducted using literature accessible to University of Minnesota

students and government documents. Each comparative case analysis uses a common

methodology, and each case study examined the strengths and weaknesses of each

policy/program under review as shown in Table 1.

Table 1. Overview of Comparative Case Study Methodology

Strategy Case Study Case Study Selection

Water

Conservation

Education and

Outreach

• Ramsey, Minnesota

• Chanhassen, Minnesota

• Elk River, Minnesota

• EarthScope Program (Social

Media)

Each city was selected from their

participation in the Minnesota

GreenStep Cities program1 and/or

the University of Minnesota’s

Resilient Communities Project2

Irrigation Policy • New Brighton, Minnesota

• Roseville, Minnesota

• Vandais Heights, Minnesota

• Woodbury, Minnesota

• White Bear Lake, Minnesota

Each of these cities were featured

in a 2016 Metropolitan Council

Report on city energy efficiency

practices.

1 GreenStep Cities is a “voluntary challenge, assistance and recognition program to help cities achieve their

sustainability and quality-of-life goals” (GreenStep Cities, 2019) 2 The Resilient Communities project is a program designed to help cities or counties in Minnesota to “build

community capacity to adapt and thrive in the face of changing social, economic, and environmental conditions”

through interdisciplinary efforts with students and faculty at the University of Minnesota (RCP, 2019).

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Smart-Metering • Minneapolis, Minnesota

• Pemberton, British

Columbia

Minneapolis was selected for

proximity to White Bear Lake and

for recentness of the project.

Pemberton was selected for

review of a finished project with

exact pricing. Pemberton was

selected for review of a finished

project with exact pricing.

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Findings

Water Consumption Analysis

Total water consumption for the City of White Bear Lake has been gradually declining over the

last decade as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3. Total water consumption 2007 to 2018

City water consumption decreased by 28% between 2007 and 2018. To better understand factors

that may be contributing to this reduction in water use, we compared this data with information

we collected about White Bear Lake water rates and precipitation levels. Average water utility

rates over recent years were compared with water consumption totals from 2007-2018. Annual

precipitation rates for Ramsey County were also compared with water consumption rates.

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Under further examination, the relationship between the average water rate and water

consumption is a moderate negative correlation as seen in Figure 4. Average water rates and

irrigation water use also has a moderate negative correlation. A negative correlation defines the

relationship as when one variable increase, the other decreases, so as average water rates

increase, water consumption decreases. According to Figure 4, average water rates only drive

water usage to a point, with no water usage going below 800,000 units (600,000,000 gallons) a

year.

Precipitation amounts and water consumption have an equally strong relationship as water

consumption and average rates do. Yearly water consumption and yearly precipitation amounts

indicated a moderate negative correlation between the two as seen in Figure 5. The relationship

between precipitation and irrigation consumption were the same.

Figure 4. Relationship between average rates and water consumption per year

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Figure 5. Relationship between average precipitation and water consumption per year

Correlation does not mean causation. The moderate strength of the connection present in all the

relationships does not guarantee that the relationship between the two was accurately

represented. Future research may result in different conclusions. However, correlation predicts

the likelihood that there is a connection, and what strength it is. With the likelihood of water

consumption and water utility rates, and with the available amount of time and resources, is it

still possible to conclude that the average utility rate does play a role in the water consumption

within the City. However, based on examination of Figure 4, there is a limit to how much water

usage can decrease if solely reliant on water usage alone.

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Secondary Survey Results

From October 22, 2019 to November 5th, 2019, 73 people responded to the survey. Of the 73

respondents, 84.9%

of respondents

support White Bear

Lake’s yard

irrigation policy

(Figure 6). The

current irrigation

policy proves to be

popular with the

respondents.

53.4% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the City of White Bear Lake is doing a good

job at promoting water quality (Figure 7).

Figure 6. Survey results on Irrigation Policy

Figure 7. Survey Results on Water Conservation Promotion

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Only 31.5% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed to attend a water conservation educational

program in White Bear Lake (Figure 8). Most respondents were not interested in putting forward

the time to attend an educational program.

Figure 8. Survey Result of Interest in Educational Programs

However, 50.7% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they would appreciate an

informational pamphlet regarding water conservation practices (Figure 9). With these numbers, a

water conservation educational program would not be successful with the people of the City, but

a less invasive water conservation awareness program could be well-received.

Figure 9. Survey Results for Awareness Program

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Environmental Awareness and Outreach

Overview

Cities can use awareness campaigns and outreach activities to disseminate environmental

information to targeted audiences. Organizations and agencies from the United States

Environmental Protection Agency to the Sierra Club to local governing bodies have had success

using environmental education and outreach to spread awareness and influence behavior and

attitudes related to issues such as water conservation. Such an approach aims to influence how

citizens, residents, companies, organizations, and governing bodies understand and relate to the

environment. In addition, greater environmental awareness and literacy could translate into more

policies that reflect a greater care towards the environment (Bjorkland & Pringle, 2001).

Although environmental awareness and outreach may be pivotal to changing behaviors and

actions towards the environment, effective implementation can be difficult. However, through

the comparative case study, further insight into possible best practices to implementing an

impactful environmental awareness and outreach program was provided.

In Minnesota, where natural resources are abundant and there are over 10,000 lakes, there have

been various efforts to enact change on how we treat our surrounding environment. There also

have been major efforts to change through environmental education, awareness, and/or outreach

campaigns directed at the public. The following case studies provide examples of water

conservation and outreach approaches that could be utilized by the City of White Bear Lake.

Case Study: City of Ramsey, Minnesota

Ramsey, located northwest of the Twin Cities in Minnesota, is a city that has participated in the

University of Minnesota’s Resilient Communities Project to promote water conservation through

environmental awareness and outreach. One approach the city has implemented is a water

conservation toolkit that is accessible through the city’s website.3 This website provides

resources that can aid residents in regulating their use of water such as alternative landscaping,

irrigation, grants, lawn care, etc. Additionally, Ramsey sends out bulletins on household water

conservation tips to residents via the local paper (Saunders et. al, 2018). Through the City’s

3 Ramsey Water Conservation Toolkit: https://www.ci.ramsey.mn.us/240/Water-Conservation

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participation in the Resilient Communities Project, Ramsey has been given suggestions in

environmental awareness and outreach such as school-based environmental education, creative

environmental awareness strategies like creating video content, and social media based

environmental outreach.4

Case Study: City of Chanhassen, Minnesota

Chanhassen, located southwest of the Twin Cities, is a GreenStep city that has taken steps to

promote water conservation through environmental awareness and outreach. The city has

implemented a WaterWise program that provides free irrigation audits and landscaping rebates to

residents and businesses (Metropolitan Council, 2019). Through this program, Chanhassen also

offers informational packets, weekly e-newsletters, and events related to water (Metropolitan

Council, 2019). In addition to the WaterWise program, the city has encouraged environmental

awareness through providing educational materials and resources through their website5 on

utility bills, and in local municipal publications (Andersen et. al, 2015). As of 2017, Chanhassen

has also attempted to implement projects to promote stormwater reuse for irrigation (Hess et. al,

2017). Another project that Chanhassen has been working on is a cost sharing project with

homeowners to convert irrigated turf grass areas into “non irrigated native plantings or

stormwater features (i.e. rain gardens, buffer strips)” (Pinkalla, 2019).

Case Study: City of Elk River, Minnesota

Elk River, located northeast of the Twin Cities, is a GreenStep city that has put significant effort

in environmental education, awareness, and outreach. In 2008, the city launched Project

Conserve, that provided resources to aid residents in making their homes more energy efficient

and practicing energy and water conservation. The program consisted of four meetings that

focused on environmentally friendly measures that could be taken by residents (CERTs, 2019).

Over 200 households in the city were participating and had saved money through energy

efficiency and conservation (CERTs, 2019). While Project Conserve has been influential in

4 Resilient Communities Project reports on water conservation for Ramsey:

Will the Faucet Turn on? Water conservation strategies for Ramsey, Minnesota:

https://conservancy.umn.edu/bitstream/handle/11299/193464/14a-PA%205253-

Report.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

Water Conservation in the City of Ramsey: https://conservancy.umn.edu/bitstream/handle/11299/200042/14b-

SUST%204004-Report.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y 5 Chanhassen Website: https://www.ci.chanhassen.mn.us/410/WaterWise-Water-Conservation-Program

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engaging residents in energy efficiency and conservation, there has been less promotion of the

program since 2011 (Erikson, 2019). This lack of promotion could damage the momentum built

by the program and affect residents’ engagement and involvement with similar programs.

In addition to Project Conserve, the City of Elk River has implemented a point-based award

program, Energy City High Five program, that residents and businesses can compete in to be the

most environmentally friendly. The categories of possible actions to gain points are “waste

management, electricity conservation and lighting, heating, ventilation and cooling systems,

water conservation, employee or household initiatives, purchasing and miscellaneous” (Elk

River, 2017). The Energy City High Five program and Project Conserve are innovative

approaches to changing environmental behaviors and increasing awareness. However, although

the program covers various topics and incentivizes change to be eco-friendlier, it is limited with

the audience it can reach (residents with internet access and English fluency).

Case study: Earth Scope and Social Media

In our fast-paced society where technology is being rapidly developed or improved, almost

everyone uses social media. According to surveys conducted by Pew Research Center (2019),

72% of adults in the U.S. reported using at least one form of social media and 90% of adults

between the ages of 18 and 29 reported using social media. This high frequency of social media

makes environmental awareness and outreach via social media possible.

The EarthScope program provides an example of environmental education and outreach through

social media. EarthScope is a program that “seeks to better illuminate the structure and evolution

of the North American continent using a variety of seismic, geodic, and remote sensing

instrumentation.” (Bohon, Robinson, Arrowsmith, & Semken, 2013). Their approach consists

mostly of active, face-to-face education and outreach, but the EarthScope National office has

noticed the impact of social media use to their branding (Bohon, Robinson, Arrowsmith, &

Semken, 2013). Through their social media platforms, EarthScope has opened up the

conversation of science through interactions between social media followers about science

related articles. This approach has allowed them to reach a broader audience with outreach

activities (Bohon, Robinson, Arrowsmith, & Semken, 2013).

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Table 2 summarizes the water conservation outreach and education activities undertaken by each

city and/or program and discusses the strengths and weaknesses of each approach.

Table 2. Current approaches, strengths and weaknesses of current cities

Case Studies Current approaches Strengths Weaknesses

City of Ramsey

Water conservation toolkit

Allows residents to become more

aware in water conservation

without talking to a government

official if they are not

comfortable Allows residents to take action in

water conservation in their

households

Online toolkits and tips could

limit access to those without

internet access. Information is only available in

English which could limit non-

English fluent populations. Besides these two programs, there

is no other active environmental

awareness program to engage

residents.

Bulletins on household

water conservation tips Tips to conserve water are

accessible.

City of

Chanhassen

WaterWise program (irrigation audits and

landscaping rebates)

Increase resident involvement

through program Incentives encourage water

conservation

Besides online, there does not

seem to be other physical forms

of awareness or outreach. Only available in English

Informational packets,

weekly e-newsletters,

water events Lots of information available

Dissemination of information

relies on whether people read or

engage with material (online or

print). Only available in English

City of Elk

River

Project Conserve program (4 meetings facilitated by

city officials on eco

friendly measures, less

activity now)

Program increased resident

involvement and awareness on

energy efficiency and

conservation. Built personal connections

between residents and

government

Less activity in Project Conserve

due to its time commitment may

have decreased resident

involvement. Time intensive Only available in English

Energy City High Five

program (energy efficiency

and conservation)

Residents are incentivized to be

energy efficient and conserve.

Online access only could limit

access to those without internet

access. Only available in English.

Social media and

the EarthScope

program

Face-to-face

communication

It can build personal connections

between the organization and

people.

Face-to-face communication is

unclear.

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Social media use

(science papers/links,

humor, shares on social

media)

Social media presence helps to

increase brand recognition and

informal education. Followers (those in and out of

science) can participate in

discussion of articles. Program offers possible structure

to implement other social media

based science education

awareness or outreach.

Involvement in discussion

requires owning a social media

account which some may not

have. The amount of knowledge

participants learned/gained is

unknown. There is a limited reach to

different audiences. Main

audience are people who believe

in science and are in the loop

about it. Only available in English

Environmental awareness and outreach efforts are effective in increasing awareness among

residents and businesses, yet while many environmental awareness and outreach initiatives have

been implemented, there has been limited information provided on their effectiveness and

possibilities in changing behavior (Bohon, Robinson, Arrowsmith, & Semken, 2013). Further

research needs to be conducted to create effective environmental education, awareness, or

outreach programs that change environmental behaviors.

However, since there has been limited research, a possible starting place to consider when

implementing an environmental awareness and outreach program could be strengthening the

familiarity and trust between organizations and people (Mase, Babin, Prokopy, and Genskow,

2015). A study was conducted in 2015 to find the trust and familiarity that people (both

agriculturalists and non-agriculturalists who lived in the Great Lakes region) had with

organizations that shared soil and water quality information. The results showed that people had

the highest trust with university extensions, Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs),

The National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and state natural resources agencies

(Mase, Babin, Prokopy, and Genskow, 2015). Local governments were not a source that

participants often reported trusting for water quality information.

Additionally, the case study on social media explores the possibilities of expanding

environmental education, awareness, and outreach into online spaces to reach bigger audiences

farther from where we live. In Minnesota, these ideas could help various cities’ approaches to

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increasing awareness on environmental issues and concerns, especially local governments like

the City of White Bear Lake. As cities in Minnesota continue to implement environmental

education, awareness, and/or outreach initiatives, it will create opportunities to finesse the

effectiveness of these programs and approaches to increase awareness and environmental literacy

among residents.

Irrigation Policies of White Bear Lake and Nearby Cities Overview

Irrigation policies are a way that cities work to control and help regulate the amount of water

being used commercially, residentially, and sometimes agriculturally. These irrigation policies

can put restrictions or bans on when people are allowed to access and use their water source for

activities such as washing cars or watering their plants. Cities that are located in certain areas

where groundwater fluctuates, like White Bear Lake, have water use restrictions that can change

seasonally depending on precipitation. Several other communities surrounding White Bear Lake

rely on groundwater as their main source of drinking water, which is another reason why the

conservation and management of the resource remains a “top priority” amongst them (White

Bear Lake, 2019c). There are many lakes and ponds surrounding the City that are vulnerable to

factors such as rainfall variation and excessive groundwater pumping. These are all factors to

consider when creating an irrigation policy.

The history of fluctuating water levels of water bodies in White Bear Lake have sparked interest

and also concern about water conservation efforts. This has led community members to pay more

attention to their water use actions in their day-to-day lives (Met Council, 2016). This plays a

significant role in how the City as a whole works to conserve water. White Bear Lake’s current

water conservation ordinance “prohibits irrigation between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. every

day from May 1st through September 30th” in efforts to minimize the amount of water lost

through evaporation in the hottest times of the day in these warmer months (White Bear Lake,

2019c). If every resident followed this ordinance every summer, it is assumed that water usage

would decrease per household and water conservation goals would be met. Several nearby cities

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have established similar irrigation policies to White Bear Lake with the same goal of wasting

less water.

Metropolitan Council Case Study of Twin Cities Metro

The Twin Cities Metropolitan Council (2016) summarized several studies regarding water use

efficiency in 21 cities (including White Bear Lake) within seven counties in the Twin Cities

metropolitan area. Building off this report, we chose four nearby cities to investigate further as

case studies: New Brighton, Roseville, Vadnais Heights and Woodbury. We also included Whtie

Bear Lake’s irrigation policy in the analysis. Table 3 summarizes the irrigation policies of the

five cities included in the cross-case analysis of irrigation policies.

Table 3. Irrigation Policies for Metropolitan Area cities in focus

City County Irrigation Policy

White Bear

Lake Ramsey/Washington Ordinance prohibits irrigation between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5

p.m. every day from May 1 through September 30.

Vadnais

Heights Ramsey Irrigation allowed on even numbered days of the week for

addresses ending in an even number, and odd numbered days for

addresses ending in an odd number. In effect from June 1 to

September 15.

New

Brighton Ramsey

Irrigation ordinance resembles Vadnais Heights (even/odd

schedule); in effect during “summer months”. Lawn watering is

to be avoided during peak demand hours of 4pm to 10pm on hot,

dry summer days.

Woodbury Ramsey Irrigation ordinance resembles Vadnais Heights (even/odd

schedule) but is in effect year-round. Lawn watering permitted

only before noon and after 5p.m. regardless of whether it is “your

day” to water.

Roseville Ramsey There are currently no restrictions, ordinances, or policies

regarding lawn watering and irrigation in place.

Results from the secondary survey conducted for this report show that 49.3% of respondents

strongly support White Bear Lake’s current irrigation policies (Figure 6). The awareness of

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water-saving methods is an important part of water conservation, for there is also the willingness

to adopt practices and technologies that work to minimize water usage in communities across the

metro area. Vadnais Heights and New Brighton have similar lawn watering policies, which

include an even/odd ordinance stating that homes with addresses ending in an even number may

use their water source for outdoor activities on even calendar dates, and those with addresses

ending in an odd number may do so on an odd calendar day (Vadnais Heights, 2019; New

Brighton, 2019). There are also times of the day in the summer months where watering lawns is

prohibited, and both cities state that fines can and will be issued to homeowners who violate this

policy as a way to really cut back on water wasted (New Brighton, 2019). A strength to this type

of irrigation ordinance is that there is more control over when people are using water. With a set

schedule in place, it is projected that less water will be wasted or over-used. This is especially

important when watering in the summer months due to evaporation in higher temperatures. A

weakness of this ordinance is the same as any in that residents may choose not to follow the

schedule due to misinformation or time availability. To counter this potential weakness fines and

violations can be issued by city officials. The policies for each community mentioned apply to

every resident and no one is exempt from them in an effort to conserve water, yet Roseville, a

city fairly close to lakes and ponds, does not have any restrictions set in place.

Survey

The Metropolitan Council also set out to conduct several assessments on homeowners’ water

usage in 2016. Their goal was to collect data from those living in the metro area with irrigation

systems so that they could measure lawn watering practices and patterns as well as water use

patterns in general (Metropolitan Council, 2016). Homeowners were asked questions that

included information about their lawn watering practices and if they complied with their city’s

lawn watering ordinance. It was found that 8% of residents were not aware that their city had a

lawn watering policy (Metropolitan Council, 2016). Homeowner and community awareness play

a big role in potential water conservation management and practices, which is a large part of this

report as mentioned in a previous section.

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Smart Water Metering As shown from the results of the preliminary survey, approximately half of respondents reported

that they were aware of how much water their household consumes per month (Figure

10). Results from the preliminary survey also showed that half of resident respondents were

neutral on their water conservation knowledge, with the next biggest chunk of 28.6% of

respondents reporting that were not confident in this knowledge (Figure 10).

Figure 10. Preliminary Survey Results about Household Water Consumption

These results show that a means to promote water conservation knowledge among residents and

a means to raise knowledge of water consumption would be beneficial to the City.

Overview

The smart water metering market made its debut in the early 2000s as a proactive service to help

water utility companies to obtain detailed and precise water consumption data (Cutler, 2011).

Smart meters are a product of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) technology. AMI

technology allows for an immediate two-way link for accessing data between meters and

utilities. Where traditional water meters have to be read manually either once or twice a month,

Smart meters can be read immediately and as frequently as the consumer pleases (Cutler, 2011).

Through the use of affiliated Smart apps, consumers access information on precisely when and

where water is being used and compare this to other users. Smart meters allow consumers to

access real-time data on their water usage and allow water leaks to be easily detected (Brears,

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2019). This accessibility to information raises consumer awareness of water consumption which

can lead to the adoption of water conservation strategies to reduce usage if necessary. According

to the Alliance for Water Efficiency, Smart meters can aid in reducing between 15-30% of

monthly water consumption (Alliance For Water Efficiency, 2019).

Residential vs. Industrial Meters

Utilizing the right size meter for a building is crucial as meters differ in sensitivity based upon

their size and design. Installing the wrong type of meter can result in the meter not being able to

accurately read the amount of water consumed (Alliance For Water Efficiency, 2019). Lower

sensitivity for low flows can result in a loss of revenue if the meter cannot record total water

usage. The internal diameter of the selected water pipe establishes which size meter is best for a

given building. Residential metering usually requires a 5/8” meter for smaller homes and a 1”

meter for larger homes, as small commercial metering usually requires meters between 5/8” to

1.5” in size (Alliance For Water Efficiency, 2019). Both residential and small commercial can

use the positive-displacement meter design, as the design reads water flow accurately in small

buildings but impedes flow in larger facilities where high velocity is needed (Alliance For Water

Efficiency, 2019). Larger meters are less sensitive to small water volumes that are apparent in

the mechanism. A standard residential meter only picks up on water usage where the flow rate is

larger than one pint of water per minute.

For larger buildings, such as schools and office buildings, meter size can range from 1.5” to 12”,

as meters of this size typically utilize the multi-jet or turbine design (Alliance for Water

Efficiency, 2019). These designs measure velocity of water as opposed to water volume because

facilities of a large size will usually need a handful of meters for water supplied to different

zones or for different uses. These meters can accurately read high water flows but are sensitive to

low flows that are less than 1 to 3 gallons per minute (Alliance for Water Efficiency, 2019).

Cost

The costs associated with purchasing a smart meter is dependent on the type of meter and the

location of which it is installed. Meter costs can also fluctuate based upon a company undergoing

the metering installation process for an individual or a community. The American Water Works

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Association has established costs for basic meters that can be purchased for individual use which

is shown in Table 4.

Table 4. American Water Works Association Meter Costs

Location Cost per Unit New Installation Cost¹

Residential Homes Approx. $40 Approx. $180

Industrial Buildings Approx. $2,000+ Approx. $800+

¹New installation price is included for locations that have not previously been metered

The two cases below discuss cities that have already or in the process of completing a

community-wide smart metering project. Each of the cases mentioned underwent projects that

consisted of implementing smart metering in both residential and commercial locations.

Case Example: Minneapolis, Minnesota

In early 2018, the City of Minneapolis announced their Water Meter Replacement Project that

would work towards replacing and installing 100,000 water meters at both the residential and

commercial level (City of Minneapolis, 2019). Approximately 92,000 of the meters will be for

residential homes. Minneapolis partnered with Aclara, a manufacturing company that specializes

in smart infrastructure improvements, to complete the project which is estimated to take five

years to finish (City of Minneapolis, 2019). The city set out to replace meters due to the benefits

that Smart metering would bring to consumers. The new meters allow consumers to access more

water consumption data through high consumption alerts that can be dispatched through text or

email (City of Minneapolis, 2019). Meters will be able to be read hourly which allows the City to

plan and improve their water distribution system. For consumers, benefits and features include:

• Ability to compare current water consumption to consumption from the past week,

month, year etc.

• Informational videos to show customers how to identify leaks and fix small-scale

plumbing problems

• Hourly updates of meter reading

• Text/email services for notifications of possible leaks in the system

• Information on smart water usage advice

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As of May 2019, the City is approximately 15% complete with the residential meter

replacements (Roper, 2019). Glen Gerads, Minneapolis’s director of water treatment and

distribution, has expressed that thus far in the project the biggest challenge has been coordinating

installation appointments with residents (Roper, 2019). A select group of residents have also

voiced concerns about the privacy invasion that is associated with the real-time readings as well

as about potential health effects that become apparent due to electromagnetic frequencies (Roper,

2019).

Case Example: Pemberton, British Columbia

In recent years, the Village of Pemberton has experienced both a rise in community population

and a more limited water supply capacity. Beginning in 2004, the Village began looking into

practices for reducing water consumption, specifically the practice of undergoing a community-

wide metering program (Earth Tech, 2007). In partnership with Earth Tech Incorporation, the

Village completed a cost-benefit analysis to see if a metering program would be beneficial. The

Village and Earth Tech highlighted four overarching reasons for implementing metering. The

first reason was equity, meaning that consumers were directly accountable for water usage and

only pay for what they use, initiating a financial incentive to conserve water. The second was

water efficiency and conservation, meaning that meters would aid in sustaining a water supply

for a longer period of time. The less water that the Village has to extract and distribute would

result in less environmental impacts, which would be more sustainable. The third was the

economic benefits, meaning that lower water usage would result in a reduced maximum daily

demand rate, which affects the amount of water needed for supply capacity. The fourth was

system management, meaning that meters would help the utility’s ability to detect and locate

leaks, identify faulty areas, efficiently manage flow and pressure, and locate areas of water loss

(Earth Tech, 2007).

The Village supplies water to both residential, commercial, and institutional buildings located

within the Village as well as to Pemberton North Irrigation District in the Squamish-Lillooet

Regional District. Earth Tech first looked over customer water data to detect where water losses

were occurring in the water system. They found four characterizations: distribution system leaks,

leaks on private property, unauthorized connections, and bulk meter inaccuracies (Earth Tech,

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2007). From 2006 to August 2007, Earth Tech looked over the Village’s water production data to

estimate gross water consumption. Production information was gathered from pump run-time

records and the estimated maximum pumping capacity rate, which was established as 62.5 liters

per second in May 2007 (Earth Tech, 2007). From the pumping capacity rate, a total annual

water consumption was estimated for the village. This estimate was 786,335m³ (Earth Tech,

2007). Earth Tech projected that the metering program could result in a 10-20% reduction in

residential water usage (Earth Tech, 2007). Based upon the Village’s estimated total water

consumption of the prior year and Earth Tech’s usage reduction projections, it was then

estimated what that reduction would look like in liters. These estimations are shown in Table 5.

Table 5. Estimated Water Savings from Metering

Estimated Annual Consumption

(2006)

Estimated Usage Reduction:

10%

Estimated Usage

Reduction:

20%

786,335m³ 78,643m³ 157,267m³

As mentioned by the American Water Works Association, cost of implementation for such a

program depends heavily on the installation location. Installing meters on property lines of a

building or home is favorable because the meter will reside within the boundaries of the water

system operator, instead of with the consumer (Earth Tech, 2007). Earth Tech projected these

external installations to cost $800 for meters with touchpads and $1000 for meters with radio

transmitters where internal installations will cost $275 for touchpad meters $400 for radio

transmitting meters (Earth Tech, 2007). Pemberton was looking to install a total of 949 meters,

846 residential, 98 commercial, and 5 institutional (Earth Tech, 2007). Table 6 showcases the

capital cost of the Village-wide installation. Price estimations were calculated by multiplying

Earth Tech’s projected cost for each type of meter with the number of locations that the Village

had outlined.

Table 6. Capital Costs for Metering Implementation

Radio Transmitter Meters Touchpad Meters

Internal

Installation

External

Installation

Internal

Installation

External

Installation

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Residential

Properties

$338,400 $846,000 $232,650 $676,800

Commercial

Properties

$39,200 $98,000 $26,950 $78,400

Institutional

Properties

$2,000 $5,000 $1,375 $4,000

Total Cost $379,600 $949,000 $260,975 $759,200

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Options

It would be in the interest for the city to consider the options below.

Option 1: Establish an Environmental Awareness and Outreach

Program

Environmental outreach has been shown to have a positive impact on awareness and

environmental literacy. In Minnesota, various cities have implemented successful environmental

awareness and outreach initiatives. In Ramsey, they implemented a water conservation toolkit

available via the city’s website. Ramsey’s involvement with the Resilient Communities Project

has also given potential approaches and ideas to the city. In Chanhassen, their WaterWise

program has increased the water conservation knowledge and engagement of residents and

businesses. In Elk River, Project Conserve and the Energy City High Five program engaged

residents and increased awareness of steps that could be taken by residents to be more energy

efficient and conserve resources. As seen through the comparative case study, environmental

awareness and outreach efforts would be beneficial in allowing residents of White Bear Lake to

know what is happening and the action steps they can take.

In the comparative case study, it showed the differences and uniqueness in approaches that each

city used to fit their city’s needs. If the City of White Bear Lake plans to implement an

environmental awareness and outreach initiative, the City should further survey and involve

residents for input on what they would desire in an initiative and explore the different approaches

in different cities. Thus, the City of White Bear Lake should similarly create an approach or

program unique and well fit to their city.

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Option 2: Maintaining the Current Irrigation Policies of White Bear

Lake

The data collected from both the Metropolitan Council’s Efficient Water Use Report and the

White Bear Lake Water Conservation Survey suggest that the City continue to implement their

lawn watering ordinance as it stands. There is not any existing data suggesting that by White

Bear Lake enforcing their irrigation policy, water is not being conserved nor used more. In fact,

the data shows that residents practice water conservation in their homes in more ways than one.

The recommendation of the Metropolitan Council’s report is that residents should avoid watering

their lawn during the peak warmest hours of the day, which is the policy that White Bear Lake

already has in place. Without data insinuating that water loss is not being minimized through

implementation of this lawn watering ordinance, there is not any solid evidence to abandon or

alter the policy at this time.

Option 3: Implementing Smart Water Metering Infrastructure

We recommend that White Bear Lake implement Smart water meters at both the residential (long

term) and commercial (short term) level. We recommend the City work with Aclara

Technologies for this project as they have proved to be successful so far in their meter

replacement project with Minneapolis and they are familiar with the metropolitan area. Smart

meters will provide more accurate and immediate water consumption data that will help the City

be more proactive when planning for water conservation. Smart metering will allow residents to

access their household’s water consumption data electronically whenever they please. It will also

allow them to compare consumption data from past weeks and months. This enables consumers

to be more confident in their knowledge regarding water conservation.

Short Term: Mandatory Smart Metering in Selected Government Buildings

Currently in White Bear Lake, public government buildings are either not metered or have an

outdated, nonfunctioning meter. From consulting with Jennifer Morse (White Bear Lake Utilities

Clerk) and Connie Taillon (White Bear Lake Environmental Specialist), six locations were

selected as priority buildings to be metered. These buildings include: City Hall, Public Safety,

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Public Works, Fire Station 2, Water Treatment Plant, and the Sports Center. Utilizing the

potential meter prices shown in the Pemberton, British Columbia case study, Table 7 shows an

estimated capital costs for meter implementation. Estimated prices illustrated in Table 7 were

calculated by using Earth Tech’s projection for meter installation in Pemberton with the number

of buildings the City highlighted as priority implementation locations.

Table 7. Meter Implementation Costs for Six Government Buildings

Radio Transmitter Meters Touchpad Meters

Internal

Installation

External

Installation

Internal

Installation

External

Installation

Total Cost $1,811 $4,526 $1,245 $2,621

Long Term: Residential Smart Metering

Once commercial metering has been implemented long enough to be evaluated and deemed to

successfully reduce water consumption and promote water conservation, metering efforts should

progress to residential locations. In partnership with Aclara Technologies, the City should

enforce a community-wide meter replacement project. Following the Minneapolis water meter

replacement project guidelines, consumers should be notified about why the City is

implementing meters and what benefits it will bring to them. Consumers will not be charged for

the meters, they will only be required to schedule an appointment with the City for installation

by the selected third party. Table 8 shows an estimated annual water usage reduction for the City

in gallons. Reduction percentages were calculated by taking the 2018 total consumption in

gallons (See Appendix C) and applying a 10% and 20% reduction. This usage reduction was

utilized based off of Earth Tech’s projection of total usage reduction in Table 5. Earth Tech

projections are applicable to the City because their estimates were based off of assumption that

water rates are already well established. Since the City has fixed water rates for both residential

and commercial consumers, this projection can be used as a baseline for estimated water

reduction.

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Table 8. Estimated Water Savings from Smart Metering

White Bear Lake Total Water

Consumption (2018)

Estimated Usage

Reduction: 10%

Estimated Usage

Reduction:

20%

652,502,250 gallons 65,250,225 gallons 130,500,450 gallons

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Conclusion

The City of White Bear Lake has undergone several changes over the past five years that the

City required a new vision for water conservation. As a result of this report, the City now has

several options that it may undertake in improving its approach to water conservation. The

options listed here are not suitable for only White Bear Lake but are suitable for a plethora of

communities looking for ways to improve water conservation. Furthermore, the options listed

here are not the only options suitable for White Bear Lake. Rather, there are more options

available for White Bear that couldn’t be explored due to time and/or resource restraints. Future

research on other options is welcomed and encouraged.

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References

Alliance for Water Efficiency. (2019). Revenue and Consumption Factors. Metering and

Submetering. Retrieved from

https://www.allianceforwaterefficiency.org/resources/topic/revenue-and-consumption-

factors

Anderson, K., Borth, B., Kaufmann, G., Mahanna, K., Myers, M., & Wenner, A. (2015). 2015

sustainability report. PDF. The Chanhassen Environmental Commission. Retrieved Nov

6, 2019 from

http://www.ci.chanhassen.mn.us/DocumentCenter/View/2443/SustainabilityReport2015c

ompressed?bidId=

Bjorkland, R. & Pringle, C. M. (2001, April 1). Educating our communities and ourselves about

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Bohon, W., Robinson, S., Arrowsmith, R., & Semken, S. (2013, July 2). Building an effective

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https://doi.org/10.1002/2013EO270001

Brears R. (2019, May 30). Smart Water, Smart Metering. Smart Water Magazine. Retrieved

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Bunnell, Q., Johnson, A., Larson, S., Linnerooth, P., Murphy, T., & Seaman, K. (2014). The City

of White Bear Lake water conservation policy report. Retrieved from the University of

Minnesota College of Food, Agricultural, and Natural Resource Sciences:

https://www.forestry.umn.edu/sites/forestry.umn.edu/files/Group6.pdf

CERTs. (2019). Elk River provides energy education, outreach and audits with Project Conserve.

Clean Energy Resource Teams. Retrieved Nov 6, 2019 from

https://www.cleanenergyresourceteams.org/elk-river-provides-energy-education-

outreach-and-audits-project-conserve

City of Minneapolis, MN. (2019, May 13). Minneapolis Water Meter Replacement Project.

Water Treatment & Distribution Services. Retrieved November 7, 2019 from

http://www.minneapolismn.gov/publicworks/water/watermeter

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Christianson, D., Hansen, D., Kaufmann, G., Kircher, B., Mahannah, K., Myers, M., & Wenner,

A. (2012). 2012 Chanhassen sustainability report. PDF. City of Chanhassen Parks and

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Appendices .

Appendix A: Preliminary Water Conservation Survey

White Bear Lake Water Conservation Survey University of Minnesota ESPM 4041

Check one box that matches your viewpoint on the statement given:

1. I am aware of how much water (gallons) my household consumes per month

Strongly Agree Disagree

Agree Strongly Disagree

Neutral

2. I am ___________ with my city’s water irrigation policy

Highly Satisfied Dissatisfied

Satisfied Highly Dissatisfied

Neutral

3. I am aware of the tier system used for water utility in White Bear Lake

Strongly Agree Disagree

Agree Strongly Disagree

Neutral

4. I care about water conservation in White Bear Lake

Strongly Agree Disagree

Agree Strongly Disagree

Neutral

5. I am confident in my knowledge about water conservation

Strongly Agree Disagree

Agree Strongly Disagree

Neutral

6. I want to learn more about water conservation efforts in White Bear Lake

Strongly Agree Disagree

Agree Strongly Disagree

Neutral

Additional Comments:

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

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Appendix B: Secondary Water Conservation Survey

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Appendix C: Water Consumption and Precipitation Table

Year

Total

Water

(Units)

Total Water

(Gal)

Total

Charges ($)

Total

Irrigation

(Unit)

Total

Irrigation

(Gal)

Total

Charges ($)

Precipitation

Amount (In.)

Total Average

Rate Per Unit

($/Unit)

Irrigation

Average Rate

Per Unit

($/Unit)

2007 1,213,622 910,216,500 1,246,725.64 99,364 74,523,000 85,287.61 30.76 1.0273 0.8583

2008 1,077,424 808,068,000 1,130,815.63 91,080 68,310,000 78,688.31 22.84 1.0496 0.8639

2009 1,124,952 843,714,000 1,173,297.53 96,141 72,105,750 82,657.32 23.32 1.0430 0.8598

2010 1,051,410 788,557,500 1,121,162.05 76,082 57,061,500 77,427.35 37.09 1.0663 1.0177

2011 993,491 745,118,250 1,085,780.29 70,699 53,024,250 80,424.30 35.16 1.0929 1.1376

2012 1,092,721 819,540,750 1,194,898.51 78,289 58,716,750 89,255.26 29.6 1.0935 1.1401

2013 985,374 739,030,500 1,086,073.55 62,803 47,102,250 72,345.08 35.88 1.1022 1.1519

2014 889,786 667,339,500 990,225.95 52,793 39,594,750 61,291.87 34.58 1.1129 1.1610

2015 874,590 655,942,500 974,647.50 77,840 58,380,000 89,396.24 33.89 1.1144 1.1485

2016 900,552 675,414,000 1,090,466.15 79,751 59,813,250 106,812.30 41.67 1.2109 1.3393

2017 881,068 660,801,000 1,311,822.25 61,749 46,311,750 94,653.02 34.06 1.4889 1.5329

2018 870,003.02 652,502,265 1,597,071.83 53,408 40,056,000 105,256.81 34.52 1.8357 1.9708