2015.04.14 Work Session Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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WN Of BM BRIGUTFON the city that works for you Council Worksession April 14, 2015 5:00 pm Present: Mayor Dave Jacobsen Councilmember Gina Bauman Councilmember Paul Jacobsen Councilmember Mary Burg (arrived at 6:08 p.m.) Absent: Councilmember Brian Strub Staff in Attendance: Dean Lotter (City Manager), Craig Schlichting (Department of Community Assets and Development Director) and Brenda Davitt (Finance Director) Guests in Attendance: Greg Keil (Barr Engineering) and Rick Snyder (Fredrikson and Byron) Review of Annual IXinking Water Report Greg Keil, Barr Engineering, thanked the Council for their time and informed them that he is speaking on behalf of a team of people (Craig Schlichting, water treatment plant staff, Barr Engineering staff and attorneys from Fredrikson and Byron) who are working on this issue under the direction of City Manager Lotter. Keil informed the Council that the MN Department of Health met with the City on February 3, 2015 to report the results of testing the MDH had conducted in January 2014 and July 2014 as part of a nationwide program to voluntarily test samples of water for a specific list of unregulated contaminants. During this voluntary testing, the MDH found 1,4- Dioxane (DX) in concentration levels that were 5 to 6 parts per billion in New Brighton's treated water supply and a little bit higher in some of the raw water wells that feed the NBCGRS. Keil explained that while DX is unregulated, the MDH has set the advisory health risk limit at 1 part per billion which is a rather conservative number compared to other jurisdictions. He then clarified that there are no enforceable limits on DX from the EPA, MDH or any other agency. The health risk from 1, 4- Dioxane appears to be very low. However, as it is not risk -free, the MDH sent the City a Health Advisory Letter requesting that the City take action and is demanding that a notification letter be sent to all residents immediately. Keil explained that low levels of DX contamination were found in the wells drawing from the Prairie du Chien aquifer and the Jordan aquifer. He confirmed that the wells drawing from the Mount Simon - Hinckley aquifer, which is separated from the other aquifers by hundreds of feet of material, were tested and were free of DX. He provided an overview of the current water treatment used in the NBCGRS, an overview of DX and explained that because of its chemical properties, DX cannot be treated in the same manner as TCE. He indicated that the Army has acknowledged the use of DX on the TCAAP site and understands and accepts that DX can be reasonably attributed to TCAAP. He informed the Council that while ingestion and inhalation were possible ways DX gets into the body, inhalation is not a concern. Rather, ingesting the water as drinking water is the main concern.