The City or Ramsey held its 9th annual Business Expo (4/1/2017). At the Expo was the Anoka County Water Task Force representing the various local and state agencies that monitor water resources in our communities and support initiatives to keep our lakes, streams, rivers and groundwater clean and sustainable.
Anoka County water resources are too often taken for granted. When we turn the faucet on we expect safe drinking water to fill our glass or to make juice and coffee. We expect all the water we want for our lawns, to wash our clothes-dishes-cars, flush toilets, and take showers. Local water resources support manufacturing, agriculture, commercial, recreational facilities and businesses.
And there are the biggest water users in Anoka County, the public utilities. Communities have established public water supply systems that operate like a business. They construct groundwater wells, water towers, and water mains to deliver water to residents and businesses who pay a fee for the service availability and the water they use.
With population growth and development our dependence on our water resources have grown too. And, Anoka County isn’t finished growing. However, local natural resources (e.g. lakes and groundwater aquifers) don’t grow. Ensuring the sustainability and quality of local water resources is a responsibility shared by everyone.
The Anoka County Water Task Force brings together residents, businesses, public utilities, communities and service organizations to address our water challenges. Topics addressed at the Water Task Force booth included:
- Water is a Most Important Community Health Issue (Anoka Co. Health Board)
- Recycling Opportunities Residential and Commercial (Anoka Co. Recycling)
- Conservation Education (Anoka Conservation District)
- Testing home/cabin wells [video] (Anoka Co. Environmental Services)
- Aquatic Invasive Species program and [video] (Anoka Co. Parks and Mn DNR)
- City of Ramsey Water Quality Report and Wellhead Program
- Sealing unused wells to protect drinking water [video] (Mn Dept. of Health)
- Well and Septic Repair Loans (Anoka Co. Community Development)