2015.09.22 CC Packet Combined - Laserfiche WebLink

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O0* Of PMGHTON flit° 01 1� tlol works for you AGENDA SECTION: Consent REPORT DATE: 9/17/2015 MEETING DATE: 9/22/2015 REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION ITEM DESCRIPTION: Authorization to make application for a Metropolitan Council Water Efficiency Grant. DEPARTMENT HEAD'S APPROVAL: Craig Schlichting, Director of Community Assets & Development CITY MANAGER APPROVAL: No comments to supplement this report Comments attached Recommendation: Authorize staff to make application for a Metropolitan Council Water Efficiency Grant. Legislative History: none Financial Impact: The maximum grant amount is $50,000. The grant program requires awardees to fund 25% of the cost of the program. If the City is awarded the maximum grant amount, the City would have to provide $12,500 in funding. Explanation: The Metropolitan Council announced they will implement a water efficiency grant program effective September 30, 2015 to June 30, 2017. Eligible water demand reduction projects include toilet and clothes washing machine replacement and irrigation system audits. Staff has attached more information about the grant program for Council's information. This past spring the Citywide Action Team met to discuss water conservation efforts in anticipation of peak demand shortages with the transition to the Mount Simon Hinckley wells. Part of that effort included review of a list of heavy water users in the community. Staff believes an opportunity exists to use this grant program to reduce water consumption in at least one multi- family apartment complex by replacing toilets with US EPA WaterSense toilets. The multi - tenant apartment building(s) targeted for the program were built in the mid -1960's and are in need of updating. Staff has not fully refined all the aspects of the program that we'd seek grant funding for. However, we have done enough analysis to determine what the cost would be to purchase the toilets and install them. The $50,000 grant maximum and 25% City match would be sufficient to replace toilets in at least one, 124 unit apartment building (which includes over 200 toilets).