St. Paul, MNUFC highlight new rainwater reuse system at Allianz Field
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - The city of St. Paul celebrating a new rainwater reuse system Thursday that is now operational at Allianz Field.
City officials and Minnesota United FC unveiled a monument to the system that they say can store more than 675,000 gallons of water to irrigate the 20,500 square feet of grass on Allianz Field’s Great Lawn and the 192 trees around it.
According to the release, the project was financed in part by the Capitol Region Watershed District, the Metropolitan Council and the state of Minnesota Clean Water Fund.
For Mayor Melvin Carter, the clean water project serves as an example for future construction in his city.
“This landmark water reuse system is a tremendous example of our bold commitment to supporting thriving, sustainable communities,” said Carter. “Saint Paul is committed to ensuring the long-term vitality of our community and environment. This investment into smart green infrastructure is a vital step forward.”
The system includes a “smart hub,” according to a release from the city. It can analyze and clean collected water as well as read weather forecasts and automatically adjust water levels.
“A rainwater reuse system of this scale in Minnesota is ground-breaking,” said Mark Doneux, administrator for Capitol Region Watershed District. “We applaud the successful public-private partnerships that went into making this innovative reuse system possible and hope this project can serve as an inspiration for future sustainable infrastructure projects in the Twin Cities.”
The new monument shows diagrams of the system to showcase the technology to passersby.
“Allianz Field exemplifies architecture and construction based on environmental sustainability, and we are proud to see that principle extended in the surrounding area through the City’s development of this innovative water collection and reuse system,” said Dr. Bill McGuire, the managing partner of Minnesota United FC.