Recycling groundwater is goal of Brainerd project funded by bonding bill

By Chelsey Perkins

Published June 8, 2023 at 8:08 PM CDT

Several men including Gov. Tim Walz stand in an area where there are many buttons and screens with numbers. There is a staircase and large pipe visible in the background. — Gov. Tim Walz asks questions about operation of the Brainerd municipal water treatment facility as city officials look on during a tour Wednesday, June 7, 2023, in Brainerd. As part of the bonding bill passed by legislators in the 2023 session, the city of Brainerd received $5 million for a new backwash collection and reclamation system at the facility.

Gov. Tim Walz toured the municipal water plant Wednesday, June 7, while visiting with local elected officials and touting a laundry list of funding increases and appropriations he said will improve the lives of rural Minnesotans.

BRAINERD — A mason jar filled with a murky, brown slurry illustrated for Gov. Tim Walz the impact of impending updates to the city of Brainerd’s water treatment practices.

Each year, 41 million gallons of groundwater carrying 17,000 pounds of solids caught by filters at the Brainerd Wastewater Treatment Facility are discharged into a wetland in the Mississippi River floodplain. That’s enough to fill a 10-acre lake that’s 12 feet deep, or more than 1 million bathtubs.

Thanks to $5 million as part of the infrastructure bonding bill passed last month by the Legislature, the backwash will instead be reclaimed.

Chad Katzenberger gestures as he speaks while holding a canning jar filled with dark brown water. Mayor Dave Badeaux stands next to him leaning against a counter. An American flag is visible in the background and chairs. — Chad Katzenberger, senior engineer of Short Elliott Hendrickson, explains what happens to backwash at the Brainerd municipal water treatment facility while holding a water sample to a group including Gov. Tim Walz on Wednesday, June 7, 2023, in Brainerd City Hall. The governor was in town to tour the facility after passage of the bonding bill in the 2023 legislative session, in which the city of Brainerd received $5 million for a new backwash collection and reclamation system.

“In interest of, you know, best practices, the idea is to take this water, send it to a reclamation tank, recycle it,” said Chad Katzenberger, senior water engineer with Short Elliott Hendrickson. “So 41 million gallons a year that will be saved in groundwater and not sent to the wetland.”

Walz toured the water plant Wednesday, June 7, while visiting with local elected officials and touting a laundry list of funding increases and appropriations the governor said will improve the lives of rural Minnesotans. Katzenberger briefed the governor on the project’s goals at Brainerd City Hall ahead of the tour, jar in hand as he spoke.

Gov. Tim Walz stands in front of a counter with his hands in his pockets next to Brainerd city council member Mike O'Day, who is looking at the governor and holding his hand to his chin. A screen behind them shows the project. — Standing next to Brainerd City Council member Mike O'Day, left, Gov. Tim Walz speaks to a group of people gathered ahead of a planned tour of the Brainerd municipal water treatment facility Wednesday, June 7, 2023, in Brainerd City Hall. As part of the bonding bill passed by legislators in the 2023 session, the city of Brainerd received $5 million for a new backwash collection and reclamation system at the facility.

“We’re all in this together and water is one of our, you know — it’s not an empty talking point, it is our resource,” Walz said. “It’s also — it’s money, too. Clean lakes, outdoor activities.”

Walz said projects like Brainerd’s show the need for monetary support from the state in communities throughout Greater Minnesota, where smaller populations mean fewer property owners to tax for improvements to public facilities. Construction costs are the same for a community, Walz noted, whether 5,000 people or 50,000 people live there.

A map of the area is next to a graphical summary of the key points of the project. — A fact sheet prepared by the city of Brainerd and Brainerd Public Utilities outlines the basics of a two-phase improvement plan for its municipal water treatment facility. The city received $5 million for the project as part of the Minnesota Legislature's bonding bill.

“We’re all in this together and water is one of our, you know — it’s not an empty talking point, it is our resource."

Gov. Tim Walz

“I think for so many communities, especially in Greater Minnesota, the property tax issue’s a really hard one,” Walz said after the tour. “Because anytime you try and do one like this, or you need a new school, all of a sudden, property taxes go up.

“ … Later in St. Paul, we can say look, we didn’t raise … any tax or anything like that. No, but we made somebody else make that decision.”

Also present were Brainerd Mayor Dave Badeaux and city council members Kelly Bevans, Tiffany Stenglein and Mike O’Day, along with members of the Brainerd Public Utilities Commission, Short Elliott Hendrickson engineers and water plant staff.

More local news

The state legislators who represent Brainerd — Rep. Josh Heintzeman, R-Nisswa, and state Sen. Justin Eichorn, R-Grand Rapids — did not attend. Both authored bills to request funding for the water treatment project, alongside Rep. Ben Davis, R-Mission Township, who co-authored the legislation in the House. All three ultimately voted against the bonding bill as the session came to a close. Overall, the bill earned bipartisan support, passing 56-11 in the Senate and 97-35 in the House.

Walz used the tour as an opportunity to espouse the virtues of the legislation he said addresses a multitude of problems impacting rural communities. But this particular project in Brainerd didn’t originally make the cut as part of the governor’s capital budget recommendations in January. It reappeared in the bill, however, as negotiations in the Legislature shaped the final outcome.

Badeaux said the governor’s visit offers the chance to ensure officials are communicating about issues that affect many people and to keep Greater Minnesota top of mind for the chief executive.

Gov. Tim Walz, center, and Brainerd Mayor Dave Badeaux, right, walk down a flight of stairs during a tour of the Brainerd municipal water treatment facility Wednesday, June 7, 2023, in Brainerd. As part of the bonding bill passed by legislators in the 2023 session, the city of Brainerd received $5 million for a new backwash collection and reclamation system at the facility.

“I think just bringing ourselves together and making sure that we’re all on the same page, and that we don't get forgot about up here, you know,” Badeaux said. “Sometimes comments get made … ‘That's outstate, that’s up north sort of stuff.’

“But the citizens that live here love it and want to continue to be here. And there’s a cost associated with that, and we just want to make sure that we're all sharing that burden.”

Badeaux added that pursuing projects like the water treatment plant upgrade means thinking about future Brainerdites.

A man in a reflective emergency vest points outside as Gov. Tim Walz looks at him and listens.

1 of 18 — Walz Visit 41.JPG

Gov. Tim Walz, center, and Brainerd Public Utilities Commission President Patrick Wussow listen as Todd Wicklund, public utilities director, speaks about a construction project at the Brainerd municipal water treatment facility Wednesday, June 7, 2023, in Brainerd. As part of the bonding bill passed by legislators in the 2023 session, the city of Brainerd received $5 million for a new backwash collection and reclamation system at the facility.

Chelsey Perkins / KAXE

2 of 18 — Walz Visit 7.JPG

Gov. Tim Walz, left, listens Wednesday, June 7, 2023, in Brainerd City Hall as Senior Water Engineer Chad Katzenberger of Short Elliot Hendrickson explains what happens to backwash in the Brainerd municipal water treatment facility. As part of the bonding bill passed by legislators in the 2023 session, the city of Brainerd received $5 million for a new backwash collection and reclamation system at the facility, and the governor took a tour later Wednesday.

Chelsey Perkins / KAXE

3 of 18 — Walz Visit 4.JPG

Chad Katzenberger, senior water engineer with Short Elliott Hendrickson, shares details with Gov. Tim Walz about a construction project at the Brainerd municipal water treatment facility while holding a sample of backwash Wednesday, June 7, 2023, in Brainerd City Hall. As part of the bonding bill passed by legislators in the 2023 session, the city of Brainerd received $5 million for a new backwash collection and reclamation system at the facility.

Chelsey Perkins / KAXE

4 of 18 — Walz Visit 10.JPG

Chad Katzenberger, senior engineer of Short Elliott Hendrickson, explains what happens to backwash at the Brainerd municipal water treatment facility while holding a water sample to a group including Gov. Tim Walz on Wednesday, June 7, 2023, in Brainerd City Hall. The governor was in town to tour the facility after passage of the bonding bill in the 2023 legislative session, in which the city of Brainerd received $5 million for a new backwash collection and reclamation system.

Chelsey Perkins / KAXE

Mike O'Day and Gov. Tim Walz stand against a counter inside the Brainerd city council chambers.

5 of 18 — Walz Visit 2.JPG

Standing next to Brainerd City Council member Mike O'Day, Gov. Tim Walz listens to a presentation about the Brainerd municipal water treatment facility Wednesday, June 7, 2023, in Brainerd City Hall, occurring before the governor toured the facility. As part of the bonding bill passed by legislators in the 2023 session, the city of Brainerd received $5 million for a new backwash collection and reclamation system.

Chelsey Perkins / KAXE

6 of 18 — Walz Visit 15.JPG

Standing next to Brainerd City Council member Mike O'Day, left, Gov. Tim Walz speaks to a group of people gathered ahead of a planned tour of the Brainerd municipal water treatment facility Wednesday, June 7, 2023, in Brainerd City Hall. As part of the bonding bill passed by legislators in the 2023 session, the city of Brainerd received $5 million for a new backwash collection and reclamation system at the facility.

Chelsey Perkins / KAXE

Gov. Tim Walz stands with his hands in pockets next to Brainerd Mayor Dave Badeaux inside city council chambers.

7 of 18 — Walz Visit 13.JPG

Standing next to Brainerd Mayor Dave Badeaux, Gov. Tim Walz asks questions about the construction project at the Brainerd municipal water treatment facility ahead of a tour Wednesday, June 7, 2023, in Brainerd City Hall. As part of the bonding bill passed by legislators in the 2023 session, the city of Brainerd received $5 million for a new backwash collection and reclamation system at the municipal water treatment facility.

Chelsey Perkins / KAXE

Gov. Tim Walz thanks Brainerd City Administrator Jennifer Bergman for Wednesday, June 7, 2023, in Brainerd. As part of the bonding bill passed by legislators in the 2023 session, the city of Brainerd received $5 million for a new backwash collection and reclamation system at the municipal water treatment facility.

8 of 18 — Walz Visit 16.JPG

Gov. Tim Walz thanks Brainerd City Administrator Jennifer Bergman for the gift of a buffalo check hat with "Brainerd" embroidery Wednesday, June 7, 2023, in Brainerd City Hall. The governor was in town to tout the passage of the bonding bill by legislators in the 2023 session, which included $5 million to the city of Brainerd for a new backwash collection and reclamation system at the municipal water treatment facility.

Chelsey Perkins / KAXE

9 of 18 — Walz Visit 27.JPG

Gov. Tim Walz, center, and Brainerd Mayor Dave Badeaux, right, walk down a flight of stairs during a tour of the Brainerd municipal water treatment facility Wednesday, June 7, 2023, in Brainerd. As part of the bonding bill passed by legislators in the 2023 session, the city of Brainerd received $5 million for a new backwash collection and reclamation system at the facility.

Chelsey Perkins / KAXE

10 of 18 — Walz Visit 21.JPG

Gov. Tim Walz, right, listens as XXXX provides details about the Brainerd municipal water treatment facility Wednesday, June 7, 2023, in Brainerd, as Brainerd Mayor Dave Badeaux, left, and Brainerd Public Utilities Commission President Patrick Wussow look on. As part of the bonding bill passed by legislators in the 2023 session, the city received $5 million for a new backwash collection and reclamation system at the facility.

Chelsey Perkins / KAXE

11 of 18 — Walz Visit 23.JPG

Gov. Tim Walz, second from left, asks questions of Sam Arnzen, water plant chief operator, during a tour of the Brainerd municipal water treatment facility Wednesday, June 7, 2023, in Brainerd. As part of the bonding bill passed by legislators in the 2023 session, the city of Brainerd received $5 million for a new backwash collection and reclamation system at the facility.

Chelsey Perkins / KAXE

Gov. Tim Walz looks toward the ceiling in a group of people in an industrial building setting. Pipes and beams are visible in the background and a young woman wears a hard hat and a reflective vest.

12 of 18 — Walz Visit 33.JPG

Gov. Tim Walz looks around the Brainerd municipal water treatment facility during a tour with city officials, including Mayor Dave Badeaux, left, and council member Kelly Bevans, right, Wednesday, June 7, 2023, in Brainerd. As part of the bonding bill passed by legislators in the 2023 session, the city of Brainerd received $5 million for a new backwash collection and reclamation system at the facility.

Chelsey Perkins / KAXE

Gov. Tim Walz looks up inside an industrial building. Several others stand around him.

13 of 18 — Walz Visit 35.JPG

Gov. Tim Walz looks toward the ceiling during a tour of the Brainerd municipal water treatment facility Wednesday, June 7, 2023, with Brainerd Mayor Dave Badeaux, left, and Brainerd City Council member Kelly Bevans, right, also pictured. As part of the bonding bill passed by legislators in the 2023 session, the city of Brainerd received $5 million for a new backwash collection and reclamation system at the facility.

Chelsey Perkins / KAXE

14 of 18 — Walz Visit 30.JPG

Gov. Tim Walz asks questions about operation of the Brainerd municipal water treatment facility as city officials look on during a tour Wednesday, June 7, 2023, in Brainerd. As part of the bonding bill passed by legislators in the 2023 session, the city of Brainerd received $5 million for a new backwash collection and reclamation system at the facility.

Chelsey Perkins / KAXE

Gov. Tim Walz Wednesday, June 7, 2023, in Brainerd. As part of the bonding bill passed by legislators in the 2023 session, the city of Brainerd received $5 million for a new backwash collection and reclamation system at the municipal water treatment facility.

15 of 18 — Walz Visit 38.JPG

Gov. Tim Walz asks questions during a tour Wednesday, June 7, 2023, of the municipal water treatment facility in Brainerd. As part of the bonding bill passed by legislators in the 2023 session, the city of Brainerd received $5 million for a new backwash collection and reclamation system at the facility.

Chelsey Perkins / KAXE

16 of 18 — Walz Visit 41.JPG

Chelsey Perkins / KAXE

Gov. Tim Walz stands outside next to two members of the Brainer Public Utilities Commission. The governor is wearing a suit coat and blue jeans and is holding a paper in his hand. It's a sunny day with clear skies and powerlines and a red sided building are visible behind them.

17 of 18 — Walz Visit 43.JPG

Gov. Tim Walz speaks outside the municipal water treatment facility Wednesday, June 7, 2023, in Brainerd, standing next to Dolly Matten, vice president of the Brainerd Public Utilities Commission, and Patrick Wussow, president. As part of the bonding bill passed by legislators in the 2023 session, the city of Brainerd received $5 million for a new backwash collection and reclamation system at the facility.

Chelsey Perkins / KAXE

Two construction workers in fluorescent vests and hard hats are in a lift against a faux stone façade. Two other construction workers are in the background. Buckets and other equipment are strewn about.

18 of 18 — Walz Visit 46.JPG

Construction workers work on a façade at the Brainerd municipal water treatment facility Wednesday, June 7, 2023, in Brainerd. Gov. Tim Walz toured the facility Wednesday, celebrating the bonding bill passed by legislators in the 2023 session, in which the city of Brainerd received $5 million for a new backwash collection and reclamation system.

Chelsey Perkins / KAXE

“A project like this is not just about the citizens of today, it’s about, where is that going to be in 25 years in terms of water quality?” Badeaux said. “We’ve got to make sure we’re ahead of that curve with this building being right on the Mississippi and with that backwash, which is this exact project. We’ve got to make sure we’re being good stewards, not just of our own drinking water, but also the drinking water throughout the state.”

As for Walz, future priorities for the rural regions of the state include bringing into operation all the programming and projects approved this year.

“We've got the money in there for roads and bridges. We got the money in there for broadband. We got the money in there for the lead pipe removal. We have the bonding projects that need to go out,” Walz said. “That's the way this system is supposed to work. I think we got a lot of those things in there, now we're trying, the whole goal was to try and reduce costs, especially on the middle class and to invest in Greater Minnesota.”

Learn more about the story and hear from officials in the KAXE Morning Show segment above.