Houston County and City of Hokah disagree over responsibility for failing storm sewer on County Road 18

Houston County engineers told the County Board on Tuesday that a 264-foot corrugated metal storm sewer under County Road 18 in the City of Hokah is corroded, has sections with no bottom structure and is creating sinkholes beneath the roadway.

County Highway staff said the pipe conveys stormwater from three inlets located within the Trunk Highway 44 intersection and that most of the water entering the structure originates in the state and city right of way. The county noted that, "there is no county water that gets into those three inlets," and said that under typical practice the municipality is responsible for storm-sewer maintenance when the inflow comes from municipal or state right of way.

County staff said they discussed options with Hokah officials and with MnDOT. MnDOT staff told the county they will typically not repair or replace several hundred feet of storm sewer that lies beyond their right of way; MnDOT staff said they might extend coverage a short distance but not the full 264 feet described in the county's report.

The county engineer described three repair options and estimated a cost of about $55,000 to install a cured-in-place lining across the 264-foot run, with a small section requiring dig-and-replace where the pipe has already failed; county staff said the liner vendor estimates the UV-cured liner can last many decades. A full dig-and-replace of the entire pipe would be substantially more expensive, staff said.

County staff said one short-term option would be to plug the pipe and divert water onto adjacent county property, but that would likely shift drainage impacts toward the library and ball-field area and would require hauling material and removing three county-owned parking stalls. That alternative, they said, could cost a similar or higher amount once all site work and restoration are included.

City of Hokah representatives told the county they lack equipment, staff and funding to perform the work and argued the water feeding the sewer originates in the state right of way and therefore MnDOT should take responsibility. The county said it does not want to set a precedent of paying 100% for storm-sewer improvements that historically municipalities or state agencies have maintained.

Commissioners said they want local participation from both Hokah and MnDOT before the county commits funds and directed staff to return with follow-up information. "We are not going to change precedent here," one commissioner said. County staff said the concern is time-sensitive: if the pipe is not repaired before winter or before a planned repaving of County 18 in spring, the county may need to alter paving work to avoid covering a failing segment.

The county will return with additional correspondence and a clearer set of cost-sharing options, staff said. No binding financial commitment was made at the meeting.