Water Supply Plans & Conservation
Water Supply Plans
Minnesota Law: “All public water suppliers that operate a public water distribution system, serve more than 1,000 people, and/or all cities in the seven county metro area, must have a water supply plan approved by the DNR.”
*SAMPLE TEMPLATE for populations under 1,000
*SAMPLE TEMPLATE for populations over 1,000
Minnesota DNR Resources
Water Supply Plan Template
Water Supply Plan Instructions and Checklist
Question and Answer Document
*NOTE: Submit electronically through MPARS and you will be directed to a Water Use Reporting Screen. This page lists all of your water appropriation permits that have a report due for the current reporting year plus any outstanding reports and/or fees from previous years. Refer to the Report Due Date, Report Status and Payment Status columns for details.
*Reminder: plans should be submitted to MnDNR electronically, no paper forms are required.
Once approved, communities should complete a Certification of Adoption form, and send a copy of the form to the DNR.
Other Resources:
*Questions regarding water supply plans: call: 651-259-5034 or wateruse.dnr@state.mn.us
*MRWA Emergency Response Template
*MRWA Conservation Rates Help
*AWWA – Best Practices in Water Loss Control: Improved Concepts for the 21st Century Water Management
*Alliance for Water Efficiency Guide for firms that specialize in specific water needs
*MRWA Sample Ordinances
*Critical Water Deficiency Ordinance:
– League of Minnesota Cities Model Ordinance for Critical Water Deficiency Declaration (Word Document) choose save as option to save ordinance.
***NOTE: that this model ordinance should also be reviewed by the city attorney.
*Useful web sites for demand reduction and water conservation:
—Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
—Metropolitan Council
—Minnesota GreenStep Cities
—Great Lakes Commission
Water Conservation
Public education for wise use of water resources should be a high priority for any municipality or water system. Public education for water conservation is a requirement of the Emergency and Water Conservation Plans from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources for municipalities over 1,000 population. The wise use of water resources and the ability to get funding for increased demand go “hand in hand”.
Minnesota Rural Water Association has created a series of ads below that you can download and use in your newsletters / publications as a public service announcement on water conservation. Contact us if you need to have these ads modified for your use.
The Minnesota Rural Water Association has made it easy for you to develop a water conservation public education program. Posters and several bill stuffers have been designed for your convenience. Choose a different poster and bill stuffer for a quarterly mailing to your customers. Additional designs will be available in the future to continue your public education program. Download and print the bill stuffers and posters of your choice below. Bill stuffers can be customized by calling MRWA at: 800-367-6792 or e-mail at: mrwa@mrwa.com. Communicate with your customers!