The Transportation & Public Works Committee, which I chair, recently recommended authorizing City officials to enter into an agreement with the Metropolitan Council for the Clean Water Fund Grant Program to provide Minneapolis property owners with financial assistance for repairs to private sewer services. After being authorized by the full Council, this grant program will start February 14.
This should be a welcome resource for property owners facing the need to repair or replace their leaking sanitary sewer services to reduce excessive flow of clear water into the regional sanitary sewer system. Clear water gets into sanitary sewers in a number of ways, including from leaky lateral pipes that run from houses to the street sewer pipe and from foundation drains that are connected to the sewer system. There are significant environmental and financial costs associated with this problem. Inflow and infiltration can cause sewage backups into homes. Clear water that gets into the sewer is then treated and discharged into a river instead of infiltrating into groundwater aquifers. Property owners also pay for the unnecessary treatment of the clear water through their municipal utility bills.
Through the Clean Water Fund Grant program, funds are available to any property owner with sewer repairs on or after July 1, 2013. Property owners can receive a reimbursement for one-third the cost of the inspection and eligible repairs, up to a maximum of $2,000.
Funds are limited, so if you are interested in taking advantage of this program, you should act quickly. Applications will be accepted beginning February 14, 2013. A link to more information about the program and the process will be available at http://www.minneapolismn.gov/publicworks/sewers/sewers_repairs beginning Monday, February 10. If you have any questions about this grant program, please don’t hesitate to contact my office at 612-673-2201.
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