Review Criteria for Drinking Water

​The comprehensive plan and its component elements are crafted by local jurisdictions in many different styles and levels of detail. At a minimum, the state will ask the following questions in its review and evaluation of a WRE. Does the WRE:

• ​​Show or refer to the boundaries of relevant areas used for planning, including jurisdictional boundaries, designated growth areas, current sewer and water service areas, watersheds, Priority Funding Areas and other relevant geographies?
• Describe the types of assessments undertaken and the methods used?
• Describe the available permitted capacity of existing community water systems and the general status of drinking water sources and uses according to WSCMP guidelines?
• Estimate the future demand for water by reviewing population projections and associated commercial, industrial and agricultural water demand and development capacity of existing and planned community service areas and rural areas? Note that population projections for sub-county areas bear a reasonable relationship to the latest countywide cooperative forecasting projection published by MDP. If an alternative method of forecasting population is used, describe the information and methodology used for the analysis.
• Estimate the potential water supply of surface and ground water resources not yet permitted for withdrawal, which can then be used to develop an estimate of the approximate number or range of additional households and associated commercial, industrial and agr​icultural water demand that can potentially be supported in the planning area?
• Identify strategies to meet future water quantity needs, including alternative water sources, demand reductions or land use/zoning modifications?
• Identify planning strategies to protect current and future water sources from pollution and overallocation?
• Evaluate the capacity of rural areas to support uses in those areas including individual systems, agricultural irrigation and other possible users?
• Provide policies that set forth the general goals of the jurisdiction with respect to the management and use of its water supply resources and how those goals guide the action sections of the WRE?
• Describe the actions planned for implementation to ensure that water supplies are adequate and safe to meet future needs? If necessary, do the actions identify lead agencies, estimate budget needs and establish a project timeline?