The 2010 Blue Star Award for Minnesota’s best stormwater management went not to a big city like St. Paul, not to a mid-sized city like Rochester, but to the small rural community of Independence. The city has minimal water and sewer infrastructure, but its dedication to water protection and public education gave it the edge.“It was a great surprise to be recognized for our clean-water initiatives,” says city administrator Toni Hirsch. “For the small size of community that we are, and for the little amount of infrastructure we have, we are doing a good job of protecting our water. We
