Lakes Area Trunk Sewer

The Lake Area Trunk Sewer project was initiated by the City of St. Michael to address problems with failing Individual Sewage Treatment Systems in the southwest portion of the City and the northwest portion of Rockford Township. Areas served include lake shore lots on Beebe Lake, Mud Lake, Steele Lake, Lake Wilhelm, Lake Charlotte and Lake Martha.

The project included two lift stations, 9000 feet of gravity sewer, 8000 feet of lift station force main, 38,000 feet of low pressure sewer main, 29,000 feet of low pressure sewer service lateral and 204 grinder pumps. The most remote home is connected to the Wastewater Treatment Facility by over 10 miles of pipe. A majority of the pipe was installed using horizontal directional drilling techniques which are less invasive than open trench construction.

When completed, this was the largest low pressure sewer system in Minnesota. The project is still used as a model for low pressure sewer design and construction.