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Jasper council moves to pursue state and federal aid after engineering report flags aging water and sewer systems
Summary
Engineers told the Jasper City Council the water tower and much of the water and sewer distribution date to the mid-1900s and recommended rehabilitation or replacement; the council authorized staff to sign task orders to pursue Small Cities and other funding programs.
The Jasper City Council voted Oct. 14 to move forward with applications for state and federal funding after engineers outlined ageing water and wastewater infrastructure and potential repair costs. Bollig representatives Laura Ostlie and Jordan Odegard told the council the municipal water tower (about 75,000 gallons) has a deteriorating exterior and will need coating or repair within about five years, with full replacement or a significant rehabilitation likely to cost in the $1 million to $2 million range. The distribution system contains substantial cast-iron mains dating to the 1950s and some shallow mains—3 to 5 feet deep compared with the typical 7 to 8 feet—which have caused freezing problems over time.
Odegard said the wastewater collection system is also largely composed of mid-century clay and cast-iron pipe and has experienced influent infiltration; the system has recorded multiple bypasses and an average wet-weather flow of about 161,000 gallons per day. Bollig recommended pursuing a combination of loans and grants, including USDA Rural Development Water and Environmental Program (WEP), Minnesota Public Facilities Authority Small Cities funding, MPCA and MDH programs, MnDOT, and other sources.
Following the presentation, the council voted to authorize signing the Small Cities application task order and related documents so staff could pursue potential grants and loans (motion by Council member Deb Plahn; second by Council member Zach Kounkel; vote: all ayes). Mayor Kim Lape and staff asked for follow-up detail on likely local rate impacts and financing structures; staff noted the City of Holland previously secured approximately $250,000 with roughly 75% grant funding, but exact utility-rate effects depend on program specifics and will require financial-advisor input.
Clerk-Treasurer Renae Thode said the city is awaiting paperwork deadlines (MPCA and MDH task-order deadlines noted as due in March) and will return to council with specific application details and cost estimates before accepting or committing to loan terms. The council directed staff to pursue the task-order signatures immediately to preserve eligibility for the Small Cities application window.
The council also discussed project prioritization and next steps for engineering design and budgeting. No construction contract was awarded at the meeting; the motion authorized only application steps and signatures needed to pursue funding.
