City of Redwood Falls to hold open house about stormwater / sanitary sewer program (updated)

Redwood’s new program is aimed at keeping stormwater sewer systems from overflowing during extreme rain events, causing peoples’ basements to flood.

Earlier this month, the Redwood Falls City Council approved an ordinance that would require property owners in the city to have their sump pump and drainage systems inspected to make sure they’re not sending excess water into the sanitary sewer system.

One of the goals: keep peoples’ basements from flooding because of overfilled sanitary sewers when the city gets big rain events, like the seven or five inch rains in one night in recent years.

The upcoming program has proven controversial, with much confusion and misinformation going around about what the program will actually require from property owners.

If a property’s drainage systems are in working order, there might be only a 15 minute inspection to confirm it, and that would be the end of it for the property owner. If the drainage system is sending stormwater or snowmelt into the sanitary sewage system, the city will have programs in place to help the property owner deal with the problem.

To help get the word out, the city is going to sponsor an open house at the Redwood Area Community Center on Thursday, Dec. 5, for property owners to meet with city staff. Redwood Falls City Administrator Keith Muetzel said after last night’s city council meeting: