06.03 Comprehensive Plan Update - Laserfiche WebLink

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I N FRASTRUCTU RE INTENT Maintain systems of infrastructure, including municipal sanitary sewer, individual sewage treatment systems, municipal water supply, individual wells, storm sewer, electricity, natural gas and advanced telecommunications that provide, over multiple life-cycles, for a prosperous local economy, a healthy environment and a high standard of living. BACKGROUND The City is serviced by municipal,corporate and individually owned utility systems,all filling a needed role in supporting life and economic activity in the City of Pequot Lakes. The City operates a municipal water system.The system serves the downtown area,the business park and some residential areas within the core of the City. Dependent on the features constructed,capacity may become an issue with potential Trailside Park amenities. There are some minor issues with the water system that need to be addressed.Old, leaking curb stops create losses in the system that are difficult to track.All water users are auto read. A monthly meter maintenance fee is charged to utility customers to help defray costs in upgrading the metering system. Residents outside of the reach of the water utility obtain their water from individual wells.It is not known exactly how many of these are shallow wells,although it is widely believed to be a significant percentage. The aquifer is unconfined and therefore there exists a high potential for contamination. The City operates a municipal sanitary sewer system basically covering the same service area as the water system. The system contains e�six lift stations, all of which have been recently upgraded. Sewage is treated in an aerated pond system with the effluent being ground applied through row irrigation on adjacent farm fields.The ponds are currently operating at roughly 60%,with flows being relatively stable month to month. The clay liner in the ponds were replaced with a plastic liner. Along with a modified approach to the row irrigation system, these improvements appear to have successfully addressed potential groundwater contamination concerns. Individuals not serviced by the municipai sanitary sewer system treat their sewage through individual systems.New state regulations have addressed some concerns over poorly maintained systems,although problems still loom large, especially on lakeshores where the characteristics of seasonal usage are not compatible with standard on-site treatment. The City has developed a policy requiring compliance inspections on existing systems. The City has only limited storm sewer facilities.These were almost all ad-hoc repairs installed in reaction to acute problems that had developed.As the City continues to grow and development patterns become even more intense, there will be a need for aggressive stormwater management. Some of this management may be able to happen on individual sites,although most of it will need to be done by the City. Stormwater management continues to be improved when road reconstructions occur. Broadband and fiber are the main conduit for commerce,both today and in the future. Any road or utility 4