The Dakota County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, April 20 passed stronger protections of the county's water resources that prohibit the bulk exportation of groundwater from the county.

The approved ordinance amendments are a response to interest from at least one company to export 500 million gallons of Dakota County groundwater annually to the Southwest, where water is scarcer. State officials denied that 2019 request, but other requests could be made in the future.

Dakota County has requested state legislative action to prohibit bulk water exportation, but commissioners moved ahead with county ordinance changes to be proactive.

“We're doing what we can now to protect our county's groundwater supply for our residents and businesses, and for the future,' board Chair Mary Liz Holberg said.

Groundwater is used as drinking water by more than 90 percent of county residents.

The new protections prohibit the construction or operation of new wells that use more than 50 million gallons of water a year and are used for commercial or institutional water supplies.

The ordinance changes will not adversely affect the county's agricultural economy.