As the region grows, development and redevelopment change how land is used, influencing both the need for, use of, and risks to water and water service sustainability. Growth increases the need for additional water, water infrastructure, and water utility services. Increasing demands on water sources and water utilities, along with other potential stressors like climate change, have associated economic, environmental, and social costs that can lead to water sustainability challenges.

For growth in the region to be sustainable, the use of and risks to water and water utility services must be considered when planning for and making decisions about how the region grows, develops, and redevelops. This requires the region to identify and understand the limitations of current water and utility systems, project needs and drivers of future change, and pursue opportunities to protect, restore, and enhance water and water services.

How water is used and the potential risks to the quality and quantity of water sources and services are connected to the ways metro area landscapes are used and managed. For instance, the potential for and types of water pollution vary across urban and rural landscapes. Much of the commercial and industrial use of water is concentrated in more urban areas, while agricultural land and water use is found in rural parts of the region. Similarly, highly developed areas tend to have smaller and fewer natural areas than less developed landscapes, with associated differences in ecosystem health, recreational opportunities, and access to nature.

The Met Council’s water planning functions take into consideration the varied and unique interactions between land use and water quality, growth patterns and industry, and the long-term efforts to maintain a plentiful and healthy water supply. The Met Council provides guidance, tools, technical support, and coordinated planning that supports and connects state, regional, and local action.

As water and water service needs vary across the region, so do local and regional actions. The diversity of land uses and the complexity of water systems means that one size fits all solutions are rarely effective. By accounting for and incorporating water and water service needs into growth, development, and redevelopment planning, the Met Council and the region’s communities can identify holistic solutions that align growth, development, and redevelopment activities with sustainable water outcomes.

Desired outcomes:

• Natural waters, water supply, and wastewater systems and services are accounted for and addressed in new development and redevelopment planning.
• Growth is prioritized where multiple source water supplies are feasible and where existing infrastructure can accommodate growth.
• Growth is limited as much as possible to areas that can sustain reliable water supply and water services.
• The quality and quantity of source and recreational waters is protected and restored.
• Recharge areas are identified, protected, and enhanced through land restoration and new systems that promote infiltration.
• The Met Council and local partners implement engineered systems and new technologies that enhance the rate of groundwater replenishment where feasible.
• Current land uses and future land use changes consider equity, reduce and prevent negative water outcomes, and enhance the benefits of clean and abundant water in all communities.
• Development and re-development plans consider natural waters and water system sustainability, including potential impacts to public and ecosystem health, as critical parts of land use decisions, planning protocols and procedures.
• Public water suppliers, land use planners, and developers have tools, funding and authority to work together - supported by aligned agency directions - to guide and support development in ways that balance communities’ economic needs while protecting the quantity and quality of sources waters that are vital to the region’s communities.
• The Council works with its regional partners and technical experts to develop guidance and example ordinances that protect the region’s water.