Drip—Drip—Drip... Watering Restrictions in the Land of 10,000 Lakes
By Jim Golden, COIT Cleaning and Restoration Services
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innesota; the very name translates to “clear water” or “cloudy water” depending on the pronunciation. We are surrounded by “water related” names: Minnehaha (laughing water), Minneiska (white water), Minneota (much water), Minnetonka (big water), Minnetrista (crooked water) and of course Minneapolis...City of Water or City of Lakes. When we review water conditions and restrictions throughout the region during 2013 and into 2014...we may assume that there is a surplus of water. According to the USDA Drought Monitor, in fact, only the far south-western corner of the state has experienced any water “shortages” that may be considered severe. So, does that translate to surpluses in all other parts of state? The answer is yes and no. Since water regulations can vary dramatically from community-to-community for the purposes of this article, we will focus on Minneapolis Water Treatment & Distribution Services. The department has many facilities, including river intakes and pump stations, treatment plants, reservoirs and other facilities, as well as a network of water mains to bring water to customers. There are approximately 1,000 miles of water mains in Minneapolis. All of the water distributed through this system—whether to provide water for our lawns, washing our cars, cleaning our homes or bathing is treated as “drinking water.” Water treatment takes time, facilities, technology, testing, filtration and so on. In 1867, this water distribution service was first established, initially to direct water to firefighters. Five years later, the distribution of tapwater was added. There is but one source for all of the water treated and distributed through this vast system: The Mississippi River, also known
as the Father of Waters. Twenty-one billion gallons of water are withdrawn from the river annually. It all began at single pumping station at 5th Avenue South in Minneapolis. If emptied, Lake of the Isles could be topped off in about 4 days with the 57 million gallons produced every 24 hours by this system. The City of Lakes also softens its water, removing 32 ½ tons of hardness which in turns helps neutralize the farmland soils of Minnesota and Wisconsin. A variety of tests are performed on the water throughout the treatment process. On average, 500 chemical, physical, and bacteriological examinations are done each and every day. That’s 182,500 tests a year! Once it’s cleaned and treated, the water produced is stored in a reservoir. There is enough water kept in the reservoir to satisfy two days of average water demand. Watering restrictions vary widely in Minneapolis and all other communities, with no “typical” program in any area. However, the general rule-of-thumb is an odd-even program with watering restrictions during peak hours of water consumption between 11:00 am and 5:00 pm daily. So, generally the better times for watering may be early morning and late evening. Associations and property managers should consult with
their local municipality regularly for specific restrictions. To ensure adequate water supply and promote water conservation, cities may follow these daytime watering bans, reducing water wasted through evaporation and allowing pumps to refill water storage facilities for evening peak use. Permits may be available to allow proper watering of new sod or seeded areas. Daily watering of new sod and seed is recommended for the first 14 days to establish root growth. After two weeks, normal watering should be sufficient for establishing a new lawn. The planting of new sod or seed during very dry times of the year may be discouraged. So where can HOA or property managers go to find out current regulations in their community? Local newspapers are always a good source, but the most current restrictions & guidance are available through the municipality website. Typical community websites in the State of Minnesota can be found using the URL http://www. citynamemn.gov (Example: http://www. minneapolismn.gov)
July | August 2014
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