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Okoboji council discusses Smith’s Bay sewer replacement, asks sanitary district to consider long-term ownership
Summary
The council reviewed a proposal to abandon about 850 feet of near-lake sewer line and install a lift station west of Highway 71, citing a nearly 100-year-old line that is hard to maintain; council directed staff to continue coordinating with the Iowa Great Lakes Sanitary District but took no vote.
The Okoboji City Council discussed a proposed sanitary sewer project for Smith’s Bay that would abandon roughly 850 feet of lake-adjacent sewer line and replace it with a sanitary lift station located west of Highway 71 in the state right-of-way.
Councilmember Delperdang provided an overview of the proposal, noting the existing sewer line is nearly 100 years old, increasingly difficult to access and located close to West Lake Okoboji. Council discussion clarified that the City of Okoboji owns, operates and maintains the infrastructure and that the work would be undertaken by the city, not the Iowa Great Lakes Sanitary District.
Councilmembers expressed concern about maintenance access and the line’s proximity to the lake. Several members said they would like the Iowa Great Lakes Sanitary District to consider assuming long-term ownership and operation of the replaced infrastructure after construction. The council directed City Administrator Michael Meyers and the city engineer to continue working with the Iowa Great Lakes Sanitary District to advance the project; no formal vote or funding decision was taken at the meeting.
The item matters because the existing pipe is approaching a century in service and runs adjacent to West Lake Okoboji, raising maintenance, access and environmental concerns. Next steps include continued coordination between city staff, the city engineer and the Iowa Great Lakes Sanitary District; the council did not set a construction timeline or a funding commitment during this meeting.
