6.1f ERMUSR 08-10-2021______________________________________________________________________________
Page 1 of 2
UTILITIES COMMISSION MEETING
TO:
ERMU Commission
FROM:
Michelle Canterbury – Executive Administrative Manager
MEETING DATE:
August 10, 2021
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER:
6.1f
SUBJECT:
Staff Update
ACTION REQUESTED:
None
DISCUSSION:
• Inserts for the August billings include a promotional flyer for the 2021 Water
Conservation Rebates and an educational brochure on sealing unused wells. The latter
was produced by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) to help educate the
public on how sealing unused wells protects them and the environment. This ties in
nicely with our Wellhead Protection Public Education and Outreach Goals. The printed
copies of this insert were paid for through a grant from MDH as a part of ERMU’s Source
Water Protection Plan. Attached are the two bill inserts.
• July and August social media posts will feature a variety of topics including: clearance
requirements for electric meters and transformers, introduction to new employees,
highlights from the Sherburne County parade, and Fact or Fable? You Shouldn’t Shower
During a Thunderstorm. A special meeting notice will also be posted regarding the
August commission meeting date and change of meeting location.
• The administration department continues to work on cleanup of the policies transferred
over to the Commission Policy Manual during the policy manual initiative. Two of the
policies requiring minor updates are the Customer Deposits Policy and the Inventory
Policy which will be presented for commission consideration at the August meeting.
• As part of our Outage Management and Communications initiative, members of the
internal and external communications team met on August 10 to review the current
communication guidelines. With the recent outages we’ve now had the opportunity to
see what is working well, and what we can improve upon. This meeting will offer the
opportunity to brainstorm and fine tune our communication efforts for critical situations
such as an outage.
• Administration and communications staff met on August 9 to review the effectiveness
of our social media communications for the last 12-month period.
95
______________________________________________________________________________
Page 2 of 2
ATTACHMENTS:
• Bill Insert – Water Conservation Rebates
• Bill Insert – Minnesota Department of Health - Sealing Unused Wells
96
WATER CONSERVATION REBATES
ERMUMN.COM | 763.441.2020 | 13069 ORONO PARKWAY | PO BOX 430 | ELK RIVER, MN 55330-0430
ENERGY STAR® CERTIFIED CLOTHES WASHER – $25 REBATE
The average American family washes approximately 300 loads of laundry each year. ENERGY STAR®
certified clothes washers use about 25% less energy and 45% less water than regular washers.
ENERGY STAR® CERTIFIED DISHWASHER – $25 REBATE
Did you know that a dishwasher built before 1994 wastes more than 10 gallons of water per cycle? A new,
ENERGY STAR® certified dishwasher will save, on an average, 3,870 gallons of water over its lifetime.
WATERSENSE LABELED FAUCETS – $10 REBATE
WaterSense labeled faucets are high-performing, water-efficient fixtures that will help you reduce water use
by up to 40% in your home or office.
WATERSENSE LABELED TOILETS – $25 REBATE
Toilets are by far the main source of water use in the home, accounting for nearly 30 percent of an average
home’s indoor water consumption. With a WaterSense labeled model, the average family can save more
than $110 per year in water costs, and $2,200 over the lifetime of the toilet.
WATERSENSE LABELED SMART IRRIGATION CONTROLLERS – UP TO A $250 REBATE
Experts estimate that as much as 50% of outdoor water is wasted due to overwatering caused by
inefficiencies in irrigation methods and systems. Replacing a standard clock timer with a WaterSense labeled
irrigation controller can save an average home nearly 8,800 gallons of water annually.
REDUCE YOUR USE AND COSTS!
The easiest and most cost effective way
to save water is to use less. ERMU water
customers can apply for rebates for these
WaterSense and ENERGY STAR® appliances.
97
WATER CONSERVATION REBATE APPLICATION
ERMUMN.COM | 763.441.2020 | 13069 ORONO PARKWAY | PO BOX 430 | ELK RIVER, MN 55330-0430
CUSTOMER INFORMATION
Name Account #
Address
City State Zip
Phone Email
APPLIANCE INFORMATION
Appliance Type Brand Model #
Appliance Purchased (please fill out one form for each item):
Clothes Washer - Must be ENERGY STAR® certified and have a water factor of 5.5 or less to quality for $25 rebate.
Dishwasher - Must be ENERGY STAR® certified to quality for $25 rebate.
Faucet - Must be WaterSense labeled to quality for $10 rebate.
Toilet - Must be WaterSense labeled and have a rating of 1.28 gallons per flush or less to qualify for $25 rebate.
Smart Irrigation Controller - Must be WaterSense labeled to qualify for a rebate of up to 50%, not to
exceed $250, for the purchase and installation of a smart irrigation controller. The controller must be linked
to local weather via internet or phone connection.
Date of Purchase Copy of Receipt or Sales Invoice Attached
• Contact our office at 763.441.2020 prior to purchase to ensure funds are still available.
• Purchase qualifying fixtures or appliances.
• Complete Water Conservation Rebate Application by December 31.
• Submit rebate application to ERMU, including itemized cash register receipt or sales invoice indicating
the brand and model purchased. Application and receipts can be submitted via mail or electronically
on our website at www.ERMUMN.com.
• Applicant must have ERMU water service to qualify for the rebate.
• All rebates will be given in the form of a credit on your water utility bill.
IMPORTANT
98
sealing unused
wells
unused WELLSMinnesota homeowners guide to sealing
Every unused well that is
not properly sealed poses a
safety, health, and
environmental threat to
your family and community as
well as a potential legal risk
to the homeowner.
Wherever you live in Minnesota – northwoods, farm country,
small town, or big city – you could have one or more wells on
your property. A well may have been your home’s main water
source before city water became available, or it was installed to
serve secondary buildings and barns, or used to water lawns or
gardens.
The reality is . . . wells do not last forever.
Wells are no longer used for a variety of reasons:
• Not enough water.
• Needed repairs.
• Became contaminated.
• Simply “lost” or abandoned when property changed hands.
• Land use changed.
• Connected to a community water system.
Physical Safety
Children and small animals can easily
fall into an unprotected, open well.
Also, accidents can occur when
equipment is unsuspectingly driven
over a crumbling well or well pit.
Health & Environment
An unused well can act like a drain, allowing surface
water runoff, contaminated water, or improperly
disposed waste a direct pathway into drinking water
sources. When this occurs, the quality of everyone’s
water is threatened – city water wells, neighbor’s wells,
even your current well. Therefore, it is recommended
that homeowners test their water annually. For more
information, visit: Owner’s Guide to Wells (www.
health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/wells/
waterquality/test.html).
Legal Responsibilities
Consider the responsibility and liability issues if an old
well on your property is proved to be a conduit for
contaminants that reach a drinking water source for
neighbors or your city. Selling your property? You are
required to provide a well disclosure statement to the buyer
before a purchase agreement is signed. The statement
indicates the location, number of wells, and if the well is
being used or not. For well disclosure information, visit:
What You Should Know About Wells at Property
Transfer (www.health.state.mn.us/
divs/eh/wells/disclosures/
wellsatpropertytransfer.html).
information Wells and Water
Online
For information on wells or private drinking water,
visit our website: Minnesota Department of Health (MDH)
Well Management Program, Wells and Borings (www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/wells)
For resources or questions specific to well sealing, visit:
Sealing of Wells and Borings
(www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/wells/sealing)
Email
Email the section directly at:
health.wells@state.mn.us
1
2
3
4
5
6
Bemidji
Duluth
Fergus Falls
St. Cloud
St. Paul
Marshall
Rochester
Who to Call
For an area well specialist,
contact the MDH
office nearest you.1
2
3
4
5
6
Bemidji
Duluth
Fergus Falls
St. Cloud
St. Paul
Marshall
Rochester
MAIN OFFICE
651-201-4600
800-383-9808
625 North Robert Street
P. O. Box 64975
St. Paul, MN 55164-0975
BEMIDJI
218-308-2100
705 Fifth Street Northwest
Bemidji, MN 56601
DULUTH
218-302-6166
Duluth Technology Village
11 East Superior Street
Duluth, MN 55802
FERGUS FALLS
218-332-5150
1505 Pebble Lake Road
Fergus Falls, MN 56537
1
2
3
4
5
6
MDH offices
1
2
3
4
5
6
Bemidji
Duluth
Fergus Falls
St. Cloud
St. Paul
Marshall
Rochester
ST. CLOUD
320-223-7300
3333 West Division Street
St. Cloud, MN 56301
MARSHALL
507-476-4220
1400 East Lyon Street
Marshall, MN 56258
ROCHESTER
507-206-2700
18 Wood Lake Drive Southeast
Rochester, MN 55904
To request this document in another format, call 651-201-4600.
origs\brochures\sealing unused wells 07/24/2018R
Printed on recycled paper.
99
2
1
What you need to know aboutsealing a WELL
Glass block or
concrete patch in
an exterior step
Wells are often
housed in a
small room in
the basement,
many times
under exterior
concrete steps
Pipe sticking up
out of the floor in
your basement,
or a concrete
patch in the floor
where the well
was located
Low spot or
sunken area in
the ground
Metal, wood, or
concrete cover
or manhole
Areas that stay
wet can be
caused by
an unsealed
flowing well
Windmill, an
old shed or
well house,
or an old pump
Dug wells
typically
appear as a ring
anywhere from
1 foot or several
feet in diameter,
made of concrete,
tile, bricks, or
rocks
Pipes 1 to 8 inches
wide above, at, or
below the surface
may indicate a
well (sewer lines
or septic systems
may also have
similar pipes,
investigate further
if unsure)
Inspect
Your Property
Contracting
The most important thing
to know about sealing
a well is that you cannot
do it yourself. Minnesota
law mandates that a well
only be sealed by an MDH
licensed well contractor.
For a list of licensed
contractors in your area, visit:
Licensed Well and Boring
Contractor Directory (www.
health.state.mn.us/lwcsearch)
or see the back page and call
your nearest MDH office.
Old photos,
former owners,
or long-time
area residents
may know about
windmills, houses,
or buildings no
longer present
City, township,
county, and
state property
records
Area well
drillers
Old fire insurance
drawings at your
local historical
society
Recordkeeping
Once fully sealed,
the contractor is
required to submit
a Well and Boring
Sealing Record
to MDH. You receive
a copy of this record
as well. Keep this
record with
your other
property records.
It documents
the well is
properly sealed.Unused Well
If the well is not in use and does not have a
Water Well Maintenance Permit
(www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/wells/
disclosures/welldisclosure.html#mp),
or the well poses a
threat to health or
safety, Minnesota
law requires that you
must have
the well sealed.
If your well appears
to be filled or
capped, but
you learn it was
improperly sealed,
the homeowner is
responsible to have
the well properly
sealed by an MDH
licensed well
contractor.
Resources Online
If your house
was built
before public
water was
available, the
property may
have one or
more wells.
Wells can
be located
either inside
or outside a
building.
After locating the well, determine the
WELL use
Well in Use
Minnesota laws
do not require
a well that is in
use to be sealed
unless the well is
contaminating the
groundwater or
has the potential
to cause health
problems.
Costs
The cost to seal a well can vary considerably.
Access to the well, special geological
conditions, debris in the well, depth and
diameter of the well are all factors that
can affect the cost of well sealing. Therefore, it is
important to get several estimates to compare
costs.
If a contractor is already on the site drilling
a new well, the cost of sealing an old well
can often be less. The same is true if a group
of homeowners or a community get together
and contract to have a number of wells sealed
at the same time.
Funding Assistance
Various grants and/or cost-share programs
may be available through local or state
government agencies. Low interest loans
for well construction, repair, and sealing are
also often offered through local lenders to
homeowners that meet income and location
requirements. Preapproval is often required
to qualify for these grants or loans,
so arrangements should be made before
you contract to have the well sealed.
For more information, visit: Sealing of Wells and
Borings (www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/wells/
sealing).
3OtherResources
A Well Disclosure Certificate
contains information such as the
location, number, and status of wells
on the property. To see what
information is available for your
well, visit: Well Disclosure Certificate
Search (www.health.state.
mn.us/wdclookup).
The Minnesota Well Index
(MWI) contains various information for
many wells in Minnesota. To see what
information is available for your well, visit:
Minnesota Well Index: (www.health.
state.mn.us/divs/eh/cwi).
OUTDOORS look for:
How tofind a WELL
INDOORS look for:
100
2
1
What you need to know aboutsealing a WELL
Glass block or
concrete patch in
an exterior step
Wells are often
housed in a
small room in
the basement,
many times
under exterior
concrete steps
Pipe sticking up
out of the floor in
your basement,
or a concrete
patch in the floor
where the well
was located
Low spot or
sunken area in
the ground
Metal, wood, or
concrete cover
or manhole
Areas that stay
wet can be
caused by
an unsealed
flowing well
Windmill, an
old shed or
well house,
or an old pump
Dug wells
typically
appear as a ring
anywhere from
1 foot or several
feet in diameter,
made of concrete,
tile, bricks, or
rocks
Pipes 1 to 8 inches
wide above, at, or
below the surface
may indicate a
well (sewer lines
or septic systems
may also have
similar pipes,
investigate further
if unsure)
Inspect
Your Property
Contracting
The most important thing
to know about sealing
a well is that you cannot
do it yourself. Minnesota
law mandates that a well
only be sealed by an MDH
licensed well contractor.
For a list of licensed
contractors in your area, visit:
Licensed Well and Boring
Contractor Directory (www.
health.state.mn.us/lwcsearch)
or see the back page and call
your nearest MDH office.
Old photos,
former owners,
or long-time
area residents
may know about
windmills, houses,
or buildings no
longer present
City, township,
county, and
state property
records
Area well
drillers
Old fire insurance
drawings at your
local historical
society
Recordkeeping
Once fully sealed,
the contractor is
required to submit
a Well and Boring
Sealing Record
to MDH. You receive
a copy of this record
as well. Keep this
record with
your other
property records.
It documents
the well is
properly sealed.Unused Well
If the well is not in use and does not have a
Water Well Maintenance Permit
(www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/wells/
disclosures/welldisclosure.html#mp),
or the well poses a
threat to health or
safety, Minnesota
law requires that you
must have
the well sealed.
If your well appears
to be filled or
capped, but
you learn it was
improperly sealed,
the homeowner is
responsible to have
the well properly
sealed by an MDH
licensed well
contractor.
Resources Online
If your house
was built
before public
water was
available, the
property may
have one or
more wells.
Wells can
be located
either inside
or outside a
building.
After locating the well, determine the
WELL use
Well in Use
Minnesota laws
do not require
a well that is in
use to be sealed
unless the well is
contaminating the
groundwater or
has the potential
to cause health
problems.
Costs
The cost to seal a well can vary considerably.
Access to the well, special geological
conditions, debris in the well, depth and
diameter of the well are all factors that
can affect the cost of well sealing. Therefore, it is
important to get several estimates to compare
costs.
If a contractor is already on the site drilling
a new well, the cost of sealing an old well
can often be less. The same is true if a group
of homeowners or a community get together
and contract to have a number of wells sealed
at the same time.
Funding Assistance
Various grants and/or cost-share programs
may be available through local or state
government agencies. Low interest loans
for well construction, repair, and sealing are
also often offered through local lenders to
homeowners that meet income and location
requirements. Preapproval is often required
to qualify for these grants or loans,
so arrangements should be made before
you contract to have the well sealed.
For more information, visit: Sealing of Wells and
Borings (www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/wells/
sealing).
3OtherResources
A Well Disclosure Certificate
contains information such as the
location, number, and status of wells
on the property. To see what
information is available for your
well, visit: Well Disclosure Certificate
Search (www.health.state.
mn.us/wdclookup).
The Minnesota Well Index
(MWI) contains various information for
many wells in Minnesota. To see what
information is available for your well, visit:
Minnesota Well Index: (www.health.
state.mn.us/divs/eh/cwi).
OUTDOORS look for:
How tofind a WELL
INDOORS look for:
101
sealing unused
wells
unused WELLSMinnesota homeowners guide to sealing
Every unused well that is
not properly sealed poses a
safety, health, and
environmental threat to
your family and community as
well as a potential legal risk
to the homeowner.
Wherever you live in Minnesota – northwoods, farm country,
small town, or big city – you could have one or more wells on
your property. A well may have been your home’s main water
source before city water became available, or it was installed to
serve secondary buildings and barns, or used to water lawns or
gardens.
The reality is . . . wells do not last forever.
Wells are no longer used for a variety of reasons:
• Not enough water.
• Needed repairs.
• Became contaminated.
• Simply “lost” or abandoned when property changed hands.
• Land use changed.
• Connected to a community water system.
Physical Safety
Children and small animals can easily
fall into an unprotected, open well.
Also, accidents can occur when
equipment is unsuspectingly driven
over a crumbling well or well pit.
Health & Environment
An unused well can act like a drain, allowing surface
water runoff, contaminated water, or improperly
disposed waste a direct pathway into drinking water
sources. When this occurs, the quality of everyone’s
water is threatened – city water wells, neighbor’s wells,
even your current well. Therefore, it is recommended
that homeowners test their water annually. For more
information, visit: Owner’s Guide to Wells (www.
health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/wells/
waterquality/test.html).
Legal Responsibilities
Consider the responsibility and liability issues if an old
well on your property is proved to be a conduit for
contaminants that reach a drinking water source for
neighbors or your city. Selling your property? You are
required to provide a well disclosure statement to the buyer
before a purchase agreement is signed. The statement
indicates the location, number of wells, and if the well is
being used or not. For well disclosure information, visit:
What You Should Know About Wells at Property
Transfer (www.health.state.mn.us/
divs/eh/wells/disclosures/
wellsatpropertytransfer.html).
information Wells and Water
Online
For information on wells or private drinking water,
visit our website: Minnesota Department of Health (MDH)
Well Management Program, Wells and Borings (www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/wells)
For resources or questions specific to well sealing, visit:
Sealing of Wells and Borings
(www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/wells/sealing)
Email
Email the section directly at:
health.wells@state.mn.us
1
2
3
4
5
6
Bemidji
Duluth
Fergus Falls
St. Cloud
St. Paul
Marshall
Rochester
Who to Call
For an area well specialist,
contact the MDH
office nearest you.1
2
3
4
5
6
Bemidji
Duluth
Fergus Falls
St. Cloud
St. Paul
Marshall
Rochester
MAIN OFFICE
651-201-4600
800-383-9808
625 North Robert Street
P. O. Box 64975
St. Paul, MN 55164-0975
BEMIDJI
218-308-2100
705 Fifth Street Northwest
Bemidji, MN 56601
DULUTH
218-302-6166
Duluth Technology Village
11 East Superior Street
Duluth, MN 55802
FERGUS FALLS
218-332-5150
1505 Pebble Lake Road
Fergus Falls, MN 56537
1
2
3
4
5
6
MDH offices
1
2
3
4
5
6
Bemidji
Duluth
Fergus Falls
St. Cloud
St. Paul
Marshall
Rochester
ST. CLOUD
320-223-7300
3333 West Division Street
St. Cloud, MN 56301
MARSHALL
507-476-4220
1400 East Lyon Street
Marshall, MN 56258
ROCHESTER
507-206-2700
18 Wood Lake Drive Southeast
Rochester, MN 55904
To request this document in another format, call 651-201-4600.
origs\brochures\sealing unused wells 07/24/2018R
Printed on recycled paper.
102