Nicollet County approves conditional-use permit for New Ulm water-well reconstruction

Nicollet County commissioners on Aug. 12 approved a conditional-use permit (PLN25-06) allowing the New Ulm Public Utilities Commission to reconstruct two public-utility water wells and associated access and grading on city-owned land along the Minnesota River.

County planning staff told the board the project is in a floodplain and therefore required the conditional-use review. The application covers reconstruction of two wells in a cluster that planning staff said contains seven wells on the parcel in total.

“The wells in this particular cluster are from the 1970s,” planning staff said during the presentation. The staff said one of the two wells began to fail and was taking on sand, prompting the reconstruction request. Commissioners and staff discussed concerns about aquifer impacts and regulatory oversight.

Planning staff said the Minnesota Department of Health will review well construction permits to ensure any new wells meet state standards and that the Mount Simon Aquifer is protected. “There was consideration made as to whether it would be better for New Ulm to rebuild these wells somewhere else,” planning staff said, “but it was determined that the Mount Simon Aquifer was not particularly suitable for more well drilling at this time.”

Board members noted the project’s importance for New Ulm’s drinking-water supply and fire response capacity; one commissioner asked whether the cluster provides about 20% of New Ulm’s supply, and planning staff said that figure sounded correct.

The board approved the conditional-use permit with the planning department’s recommended conditions and the planning commission’s findings of fact. The approval is conditioned on the applicant obtaining required state permits, including those from the Minnesota Department of Health.

No public comment was recorded on this agenda item.