One of the staples of political discourse at the Minnesota state capitol is local officials whining about the cost of cleaning up water pollution generated by people--then keeping the water clean.
This stakeholder attitude just might not be shared by citizens, if the picture painted by Karen Tolkkinen's article in the Alexandria Echo Press is any indication. In Sewer district seeks waiver from discharge limits, Tolkkinen reports:
How to restore Lake Winona is a challenge that continues to vex, judging by a public hearing Wednesday evening about the sewer district's intention to seek waivers from new, stricter limits on what it can discharge into the lake.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has reduced the amount of phosphorus and chloride the Alexandria Lakes Area Sanitary District can put into the narrow, shallow lake. The sewer system cleans waste water for just over 10,000 household and commercial customers and sends about 2.9 million gallons a day into Lake Winona, the first of a chain of lakes.
About 40 people attended the hearing, not counting the sewer district board, staff members and consultants. Many came from Lake Winona or the rest of the chain of lakes.
Warned that the cost of meeting state chloride and phosphorus limits could stagger toward $100 million, some in attendance said spending big figures might be worth it.
"The longer we wait, the more difficult it's going to be and the more our lakes are going to be endangered," said Corliss Stark, a former city council member who lives on Lake Winona. "We passed a $73 million school bond issue and nobody has gone broke over that." . . .
She's not alone in her opinion. Read the entire article for more.
Photo: Aerial views of the Alexandria Lakes area. Via Explore Alexandria.
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