Virginia residents, council press for answers after repeated sewer backups as officials cite aging system and extreme storms

Residents packed the Virginia City Council chambers on June 24 to demand answers after repeated sewer backups that left basements flooded with raw sewage in mid-June and during a similar storm a year ago.

At a public forum the city’s public works director, Jim Rosbit, and the city engineer of record, Matt Reed, told the council and the public that the system was overwhelmed — not because of single mechanical failures but by the combined effect of extreme storms and aging infrastructure. “We ran at full capacity pretty much. We have 17 active lift stations. They took everything they had,” Rosbit said, describing emergency bypasses and additional pumps the crews ran to relieve pressure on the wastewater system.

The residents’ accounts underscored the human toll. Theresa Geiselman, who said her house flooded on June 16 and June 20, told the council the water levels ranged “from a few inches to over a foot” and called the episodes “destructive, costly, and traumatic events for homeowners.” Other speakers said repeated claims and repairs are leaving families and older residents exhausted and worried about remaining in Virginia.

City officials described immediate operational steps and longer-term work. Reed said the city uses bypass mode at the wastewater treatment plant and runs additional pumps and that crews are jetting and televising lines, replacing culverts and doing ditching work to move surface water out of neighborhoods. He also warned that some storm events exceed what any economically feasible sewer design can handle: “Even if we designed a brand new storm sewer system today…when we get rain events like we've seen in the last couple of years, you’d still see flooded streets.”

Council action and staff direction: Councilor Motley moved and the council approved a motion inviting PeopleSERVE, the contracted wastewater treatment operator, to appear before the council’s Committee of the Whole at 9 a.m. on July 1 to explain plant operations and answer questions about the events (motion carried). Councilor Paulson moved and the council unanimously directed staff to seek grant funds from the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board (IRRRB) to create a homeowner assistance program for repairs and rehabilitation related to flood and sewer backup damage; that motion passed. The city also said it will offer curb pickup for unsalvageable damaged property and gave a public works contact number: (218) 748-7515.

Regulatory and funding context: The city must report discharges to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA); officials told residents the MPCA evaluates events case by case and considers emergency actions and public-health impacts when deciding whether to issue penalties. Staff and residents discussed FEMA aid and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP); city staff said the city had received FEMA public-assistance funds for some costs after earlier events, but those programs have limits and do not replace longer-term infrastructure investment.

What officials say will happen next: Reed and Rosbit said the city will step up identification of infiltration and inflow (I&I) sources with smoke testing this summer and continue televising, ditching and targeted repairs. They emphasized the work will be gradual because of cost and the age of the system; Reed noted the city has identified grant opportunities for remediation but that “money becomes an issue.”

Residents at the meeting pushed for faster answers and clearer accountability; several asked the council to secure the plant operator’s records of bypasses, alarms and actions taken during storms. Council members agreed to pursue those records and follow up at the July 1 Committee of the Whole meeting with PeopleSERVE.

Why it matters: The episode combines infrastructure, public-health and economic impacts: repeated raw-sewer backups can cause property loss, insurance complications and long-term stress for homeowners and small businesses. City officials say the storms and old combined systems — including former steam/condensate connections in some neighborhoods — are central factors, and the council has begun a two-track response: immediate operational oversight (including the PeopleSERVE session) and pursuing grant funding to help homeowners and pay for capital work.

Key practical notes for residents: call public works at (218) 748-7515 to report damage, request curb pickup of unsalvageable items, or to be added to outreach lists; residents with damage were urged to document losses and consult their insurance agents, as FEMA, NFIP and other programs have different rules and caps.

Ending: The council said it will report back after the July 1 Committee of the Whole meeting with PeopleSERVE and will continue to pursue state and federal grant opportunities while accelerating smoke testing and targeted repairs to identify the most critical, fixable failures.