HomeMy WebLinkAboutEnvironmental Quality Committee Packet 02-13-2019
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE
AGENDA
February 13, 2019
WHERE: MEDICINE LAKE ROOM A
Plymouth City Hall
3400 Plymouth Boulevard
Plymouth, MN 55447
CONSENT AGENDA
All items listed on the consent agenda* are considered to be routine by the Environmental Quality
Committee and will be enacted by one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items
unless a Committee member, or citizen so requests, in which event the item will be removed from
the consent agenda and considered in normal sequence on the agenda.
1. 7:00 P.M. CALL TO ORDER
2. 7:00 P.M. PUBLIC FORUM
A. Jim Crider Northwest Metro Climate Action Group
– Individuals may address the Committee about any item not contained in the
regular agenda. A maximum of 15 minutes is allotted for the Forum.
3. 7:20 P.M APPROVAL OF AGENDA - EQC members may add items to the agenda for
discussion purposes or staff direction only. The EQC will not normally take official action
on items added to the agenda.
4. 7:25 P.M. CONSENT AGENDA*
A. Approve January 9, 2019 EQC Meeting Minutes (Strong)
5. 7:30 P.M. GENERAL BUSINESS
A.
B.
EQC refresher, Orientation, and Organization
Election of Committee Chair and Vice Chair
6. REPORTS AND STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS
A. 2018 Water Efficiency Rebate Program Summary (Scharenbroich)
B. 2019 Water Efficiency Rebate Program (Scharenbroich)
7. FUTURE MEETINGS: March 13, 2019
• Green Step Cities
• EQC Mission and Vision
8. 8:30 P.M. ADJOURNMENT
DRAFT Minutes
Environmental Quality Committee (EQC)
January 9, 2019
MEMBERS PRESENT: Committee Members Paul Senne, Marky Williamson, Andy Polzin,
Kathy Osborne, Marita Prokop, Clark Gregor
MEMBERS ABSENT:
STAFF PRESENT: Water Resources Manager Vanessa Strong, Senior Engineering
Technician Ben Scharenbroich, Council Liaison Jim Prom, Council
Member Nick Roehl
1. Call to Order – 7:00 P.M.
2. Public Forum
Council Member Jim Prom introduced his replacement as the new Council Liaison, Council
Member Nick Roehl. The EQC members, City staff and incoming new EQC members each
introduced themselves and gave a brief overview of their background.
3. Approval of Agenda
Motion by Committee Member Polzin, seconded by Committee Member Osborne, recommending
approval of the January 9, 2019 Environmental Quality Committee meeting agenda. With all
members voting in favor, the motion carried.
4. Consent Agenda
A. Approve November 14, 2018 EQC Meeting Minutes
B. Approve December 12, 2018 EQC Meeting Minutes
Motion by Committee Member Gregor seconded by Committee Member Williamson
recommending approval of the Consent Agenda. With all members voting in favor, the motion
carried.
5. General Business
A. Approve 2018 Annual Report and 2019 Work Plan
The EQC reviewed the 2019 Work Plan to finalize the topics. Some suggestions for the Work Plan:
• Committee Member Polzin suggested Ed Matthiesen, of Wenck and Associates, to be
present at the September 11th meeting for the Bass and Pomerleau Alum Treatment project
discussion.
• Tour city projects related to environmental quality.
• Tour an organics processing facility.
• Surface Water Management Plan - Updating City Code and City Ordinances on water
quality.
• Move up Organics and Textiles discussion to May.
• Consider having students be committee members.
Environmental Quality Committee Minutes
January 9, 2019
Page 2
The committee agreed to accept the 2019 Work Plan, stating that it is subject to change. Motion
by Committee Member Gregor seconded by Committee Member Polzin recommending approval
of the 2018 Annual Report and 2019 Work Plan with the suggested amendments. With all
members voting in favor, the motion carried.
B. Discuss Environmental Extra Topics
The committee gave their feedback on the proposed topics of interest for the annual publication.
Senior Engineering Technician Scharenbroich explained that not all of the topics will be included
in the publication due to space availability, but topics not included can be promoted through other
avenues such as the city website, social media, direct mailings, etc.
6. Reports and Staff Recommendations
A. Water Efficiency Grant Program Update
Senior Engineering Technician Scharenbroich said he is waiting on invoices and receipts from
applicants to compile the final report for the 2018 program. He will have it ready to present at the
February EQC meeting.
7. Future Meetings
• February 13, 2018
8. Adjournment
Environmental Quality Committee adjourned at 7:59 p.m.
O:\Utilities\Storm Sewer and Water Resources\Water Effiency Grant Program\2018\Reporting\Water Efficiency Rebate Program 2018 Recap -
EQC 021319.docx
CITY OF PLYMOUTH
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE
TECHNICAL MEMO
DATE: February 6, 2019
TO: Environmental Quality Committee (EQC)
FROM: Ben Scharenbroich, Senior Engineering Technician
SUBJECT: Water Efficiency Rebate Program – 2018 Recap
SUMMARY: The City of Plymouth supports water conservation practices that help to reduce
the water demand from municipal water supply customers. Water use in the City of Plymouth
can increase from just over 150 million gallons per month in February to nearly 450 million
gallons per month in July and August. This dramatic jump in water consumption is attributed to
outdoor watering by residential and commercial property owners. A rebate program was
developed by the City of Plymouth to focus on improving the water efficiency of irrigation
systems at residential and commercial properties throughout the city.
Rebates were offered to residential and commercial customers to replace old, inefficient irrigation
controllers and irrigation sprinkler heads with new, WaterSense® certified products. Rebates for
irrigation controllers are awarded for the cost of the item, up to $200 for residential customers and
$500 for commercial and multi-family customers. Rebates for sprinkler heads are awarded for the
cost of the items, up to $100 for residential customers and $200 for commercial and multi -family
customers, with a minimum purchase of 10 sprinkler heads.
The rebate program for 2018 was funded by the City Council for $50,000. Rebates were awarded
on a first come, first served basis. Payment was made upon successful installation of the items and
submittal of the rebate request form and original receipts. The 2018 rebate program is currently
closed.
City staff estimated before the rebate program began that if 25 commercial irrigation systems and
185 residential irrigation systems are upgraded, the city and its property owners, would save an
estimated 14,500,000 gallons of water annually.
The results of the rebate program as of December 31, 2018 are shown in Table 1 below. Staff
found that all residential and commercial property owners who received a rebate through this
program were overwatering their property and would receive benefit from an irrigation system
upgrade. The rebate program provided property owners the incentive to upgrade old irrigation
O:\Utilities\Storm Sewer and Water Resources\Water Effiency Grant Program\2018\Reporting\Water Efficiency Rebate Program 2018 Recap -
EQC 021319.docx
systems with WaterSense® Certified irrigation products, which should result in decreased water
usage going forward, assuming the system is utilized properly.
Table 1: Water Efficiency Rebate Program – Results as of December 31, 2018
Devices
Installed
People
Benefited
Estimated
Gallons Saved
Annually
Estimated
Gallons Saved
per Device
Rebates
Funded
Residential Irrigation
Controller
WaterSense®
135 478 6,787,000 50,274 $25,359.99
Commercial Irrigation
Controller
WaterSense®
16 1205 3,080,000 192,500 $6,051.83
Residential Irrigation
Sprinkler Heads
WaterSense®
20 5 25,500 1,275 $170.00
Commercial Irrigation
Sprinkler Heads
WaterSense®
0 0 0 0 $0
Totals 171 1,688 9,892,500 57,850 $31,581.82
In 2018, the City of Plymouth funded $31,581.82 in rebates for this program to residential and
commercial property owners. It is important to note that property owners have invested over
$47,900 in upgrading the water efficiency of homes and businesses through this program. In
addition to the rebates issued to residential and commercial property owners, Plymouth Public
Works, Parks & Recreation and Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) staff continued to
improve the efficiency of irrigation systems at City properties and playfields. The Zachary
Playfields and the two HRA senior housing apartment buildings were targeted for irrigation system
upgrades in 2018. These upgraded systems will be monitored in 2019 and the results will be
provided to the EQC at the end of the year.
Overall, the rebate program was successful in 2018 and the improvements will save the city and
its property owners an estimated 9,892,500 gallons of water annually. Pending approvals, staff
anticipates continuing a Water Efficiency Rebate Program in 2019 and will promote the program
to residents and businesses throughout the city.
CITY OF P LYMOUTH
WATER EFFICIENCY REBATE PROGRAM
3400 Plymouth Boulevard
Plymouth, MN 55447
(763) 509-5527
REBATE S FOR PROJECTS THAT IMPROVE WATER EFFICI ENCY AND CONSERVE WATER
The City of Plymouth supports water conservation practices that help to reduce the water demand from municipal water
supply customers. To encourage water conservation, the City of Plymouth has established a rebate program to reduce
municipal water use at both residential and commercial properties throughout the city.
PURPOSE OF PROGRAM
The City of Plymouth is offering rebates to residents and commercial property owners to promote water conservation
and use their drinking water more efficiently. Plymouth’s water supply is abundant, but it is not limitless. Water usage
can increase from just over 170 million gallons per month in February to just over 430 million gallons per month in July.
2017 WATER USAGE IN PLYMOUTH B Y MONTH
Saving water is simple and smart. Residential and commercial property owners in a position to upgrade to more water
efficient irrigation equipment can receive a rebate to help offset the cost of upgrading.
The rebate program is set up to help reduce the amount of water being wasted at homes or businesses by inefficient
irrigation equipment. Replacing old, inefficient irrigation controllers and sprinkler spray bodies with WaterSense
certified equipment can help improve water efficiency, conserve water and reduce utility bills. The City of Plymouth aims
to reduce the amount of water used by 4,700,000 gallons per year with this rebate program.
AWARD AMOUNTS
The rebate is for the cost of the item, up to a maximum of $200 for Residential customers and $500 for Commercial &
Multi-Family Customers for WaterSense irrigation controllers. The cost of the item up to a maximum of $100 for
Residential customers and $200 for Commercial & Multi-Family Customers for WaterSense sprinkler spray bodies
(minimum of 10). The cost of the item, up to a maximum of $ ____ for the installation of a stormwater reuse system.
The stormwater reuse systems will be considered on a case-by-case basis and requires City approval prior to installation.
The purchase of rain barrels does not qualify for this rebate.
Rebate applications will be accepted until November 30, 2019 or until funds are exhausted. Applications shall be taken
on a first come first served basis.
ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS
Plymouth property owners who are customers of the municipal water supply system that replace existing inefficient
irrigation controller systems and sprinkler spray bodies with WaterSense certified irrigation controller systems and
sprinkler spray bodies. The installed components systems must be installed within the City of Plymouth.
ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES
The following products purchased after April 1, 2019 could qualify for rebates. These include:
Replacing irrigation system controllers with EPA WaterSense labeled controllers.
o http://www.epa.gov/watersense/products/controltech.html
Replacing irrigation sprinkler spray bodies (minimum of 10) with EPA WaterSense labeled sprinkler
spray bodies.
o https://www.epa.gov/watersense/spray-sprinkler-bodies.html
Products with EPA WaterSense Certification can be found here:
o http://www3.epa.gov/watersense/product_search.html
A Directory of Certified Professionals with EPA WaterSense Certification can be found here:
o https://www.epa.gov/watersense/find-pro.html
Stormwater Reuse System
o https://stormwater.pca.state.mn.us/index.php?title=Stormwater_re-
use_and_rainwater_harvesting&redirect=no
DEADLINE
Reimbursements will be issued on a first come first served basis until November 30, 2018 or until funds are exhausted,
whichever comes first. Payment will be made upon successful completion of work and submission of payment rebate
request form accompanied by original receipts for expenses. Payment is only for equipment cost. Labor charges are not
applicable for rebates.
Further Facts and informational links
EPA WaterSense – Water Conservation
http://www3.epa.gov/watersense/our_water/start_saving.html
Estimate Water Savings Calculator
http://www.home-water-works.org