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tmr = =� CITY of ORONO Post Office Box 66•Crystal Bay,Minnesota 55323•Municipal Offices QF On the North Shore of Lake Minnetonka May 6 , 1991 Don Smith Minnesota Pollution Control Agency 520 Lafayette Road St. Paul, MN 55155 Re: Sewage Treatment Lagoon Abandonment Dear Mr. Smith: This letter is a follow-up to our phone conversation of Monday, May 6th. We discussed what concerns the M.P.C.A. might have and what regulations apply to permanent abandonment of the Orono sewage treatment pond on Old Crystal Bay Road, which has not been in use for approximately 10 years. Our discussion centered around what concerns would be generated if the pond were allowed to revert to a wetland, if the dikes were removed, or if the outflow weir structure taken out. My understanding of the M.P.C.A.'s concerns and regulations is as follows: 1. The M.P.C.A. does not strictly regulate, and in fact, has no specific guidelines, regarding the abandonment of sewer ponds, once the sewage treatment use ceases. • 2. The M.P.C.A. would only be concerned if a future problem crops up, i.e. "hot spots", or zones of contamination that affect some future use of the property. You noted that to resolve future problems after a future use is in place may be more expensive and less practical than mitigation prior to future uses. 3. You suggested that the responsible procedure for the City to following, would be first testing the depth and composition of the remaining sewage sludge, and then removal and spreading on an approved land spreading site. This would likely greatly reduce the possibility for future contamination of Lake Minnetonka by nutrients, etc. leaching to the adjacent wetland which discharges to Lake Minnetonka. • BUILDING&ZONING-473-7357 • ADMINISTRATION&FINANCE-473-7358 • PUBLIC WORKS-473-7359 ASSESSING FAX-473-0510