|
 Because all water starts right here in the watershed, it’s important to better control storm water and manage land practices to improve water quality in local lakes and streams. It’s also important to send cleaner water downstream. What happens here affects water quality downstream through Iowa, all the way to the Mississippi, and eventually the Gulf of Mexico.
The District employs a full-time conservation technician at the Farm Service Agency to help ag land owners qualify for federal and state farm programs to implement filter strips, water ways, wetland reclamation and other projects.
The District also offers a Cost-Share program to repair gullies and other problems.
For information on the above programs, call Jared Stricker, 507-377-5786 for more information.
The District works with developers and contractors to better control sediment on construction sites.
And the District also offers several educational programs to local schools and residents. |
|
|
County Starts Loan Program For Sewage System Replacement |
 The Freeborn County Board recently approved a new loan program to help finance repair or replacement of failing septic systems within the county. Because an on-site sewer system can cost $10,000 or more, replacement can be a financial burden for rural residents.
Under the loan program, property owners may borrow the total cost of designing and installing an on-site system, at a 7% interest rate, and pay it back through property tax assessments over 12 years or less.
Should YOU be concerned?
- Do you know what kind of sewage treatment system you have?
- Has your septic tank been pumped in the last 5 years?
- Do you have a copy of your sewer system permit?
- Do you have a maintenance guide for your sewer system?
If you answered “no” to any question, be concerned. |
|
How Failing Sewer Systems Affect Water |
|
How failing sewer systems affect water
Here is how a rural sewer system can contaminate drinking water and surface waters (streams and lakes):
- The system lacks a drainfield to filter wastewater, and instead discharges wastewater directly to a field drainage tile, drainage ditch, roadside ditch or lake.
- The sewer system is malfunctioning.
- The tank is full and needs to be pumped, meaning solids are being discharged to the drainfield, which can then be plugged by solids.
- The drainfield is plugged, sending wastewater directly to aquifers for drinking water, ditches or surface waters.
- Instead of a properly designed system, the home or business is using a concrete block tank (cesspool) without a solid bottom and/or perforated sidewalls. These tanks discharge wastewater with no treatment and are illegal in Minnesota.
Approximately 4,000 homes in Freeborn County use on-site sewer systems:
- The impact of failing systems is immense to drinking water and surface waters.
- Exposure to sewage can cause illness and disease because sewage contains bacteria, viruses, parasites, and chemicals harmful to humans.
- Sewage also contains phosphorus, which fuels algae blooms in local lakes.
Diagram of a mound system showing all the components of an ISTS in compliance with state law.
(Graphic from the Minnesota Extension Service.) |
|
|
|
|
|
