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Pequot Lakes Staff Report 7(a) - 1 March 19, 2015 NEW BUSINESS- SSTS Compliance Inspection Program Agenda Item: 7 (a) Background Information: The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency presented the results of the 2013 Annual Subsurface Sewage Treatment System (SSTS) Report at their January, 2015 meeting in Brainerd. Highlights from their report are: 534,000 septic systems were reported in Minnesota in 2013; Of those 534,000 systems, 11,566 systems or over 2% of existing systems were checked for compliance in 2013; The majority of SSTS installed in 2013 were for residential homes; The estimated percentage of compliant SSTS has increased from 65% in 2008 to 80% in 2013; The City Council directed the Planning Commission to develop a plan to monitor SSTS and present to the Council for review. SSTS, or private sewer systems, are considered to be compliant for five years after they are installed. After that period, every time a private sewer is inspected and found to be compliant, the certificate is valid for three years. If they are no longer considered “valid”, they are considered “expired”. For the 2014 Annual SSTS Report Pequot Lakes reported only 23% compliance of the 782 existing SSTS! With the implementation of the “SSTS Inspection Program” all property owners with “expired” systems would be notified via US Mail and made aware the City does not have current information on their SSTS. The property owner would have two options to comply with the Code: 1. Retain a licensed SSTS Inspector to inspect the SSTS. After the inspection, the certificate would be required to be submitted to the City. (The estimated cost of this option is $150 - $250 for the inspection, plus $180 - $225 for the tank to be pumped); or 2. Use a licensed Inspector that has agreed to inspect multiple systems in the City for a bulk rate. (In 2013 the City of Emily’s designated Inspector conducted 132 inspections at a rate of $48 per inspection. The City would need to go out for RFP’s). Crow Wing County has limited grant funding available to assist low-income landowners with septic upgrades; Region 5 Development Commission has grants and loan programs to make the upgrades more affordable.