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| Public Works Contact / Hours |
Public Works Director
Paul Teicher
pteicher@stfrancismn.org
763-235-2304
Fax: 763-753-9881
Asst. Public Works Director
Eric Peterson
epeterson@stfrancismn.org
763-235-2305
Hours: 6:30am to 3pm
(Monday - Friday)
After Hours:
Emergency Call 911
Gopher State One Call
651-454-0002 or 800-252-1166
Attention Homeowners: Over the last 2 months we have pulled 12 plugged pumps from our lift stations. Luckily, no sewer backups have occurred due to these pumps being plugged. We are finding the plugging issues are caused by toilets being used as trash receptacles. Please remind your friends and neighbors nothing should get “flushed” that isn’t a water based or food based by-product. Toilet paper is the only exception. Some of the objects we are finding include cleaning/disinfecting towels, baby wipes and disposable toilet brushes, these items should not be flushed. If you suspect a sewer back up, or trouble with a lift station please call 911 so we can investigate.
Sanitary Sewer System
The Public Works Department for the City of St. Francis maintains approximately 19.5 miles of sewer main, 655 Manholes, 12 Lift Stations and a Wastewater Treatment Plant. It is the City's objective to provide sewer lines of adequate size to handle existing and future sewage flows. We inspect, clean and maintain the sewer system to minimize sewer backups and other system problems. St. Francis attempts to eliminate any infiltration/inflow problems in the sanitary sewer system. These are sources of uncontaminated water which would provide an unnecessary burden on the wastewater treatment facility. Treatment costs and the cost of maintaining the City's system of trunk mains, laterals, and the wastewater treatment plant are paid for by the sanitary sewer utility. Customers are billed monthly.
Sanitary Sewer Backups
In service line blockages only one property is affected. These include back-ups related to tree roots and anything that will not totally dissolve that could plug the sewer service such as disposable diapers, sanitary napkins, bandages, rags, and plastics bags. The property owner is responsible for the repairs and maintenance of the sanitary sewer service from the City sewer main to the home.
A sewer main blockage will most likely affect more than one property. Sewer mains may back-up when the sewer main pipe breaks down. The City routinely inspects the sanitary sewer system to prevent sewer main failures. Sewer main back-ups may also be caused by the same items that cause private service line to back up. These items manage to flow through the private service line but then get stuck in the main. Improper cleaning of a private sewer service may move the blockage problem further down stream into the sewer main. Construction activities from time to time accidentally create blockage problems as well.
In catastrophic situations large numbers of properties are likely to be affected. These include back-ups related to exceptionally heavy rainfall exceeding the "100-year" amount; back-ups due to flooding; back-ups due to an extended power outage; and any disaster type situation.
Sanitary Sewer Back-Up Checklist
If you experience a sewer back up call City Hall at 763-753-2630 from 7:00 a.m.to 5:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday or call 911 after regular business hours and on weekends as soon as possible. Even if the problem is not located on the City's sewer main, the City wants to check the sewer mains for items, which may be cut loose and pushed into the City system and possibly cause a new blockage.
Begin the clean-up as promptly as possible. The City will report the back-up to the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust (LMCIT) and an adjuster will contact you shortly. In the
meantime, don't delay beginning the clean-up. For health and safety reasons, you may wish to use a commercial service rather than doing the clean-up yourself. A list of firms that do this type of work is located under carpet cleaners in the yellow pages. Please note that the City of St. Francis doesn't require, endorse, or recommend the use of any particular firm.
Notify your own insurance company. In many cases, your homeowner's or other insurance will cover some or all of the costs and damages from a sewer back-up. The LMCIT adjuster will also ask you for information on your own insurance.
Make a list of the items that were damaged or destroyed. Include as much information as you can on the description, age, and value of each item. Purchase receipts are helpful if they're available. If possible, it is helpful to take photographs of any damaged items that you dispose of. Keep receipts for any clean-up or repair work you have done.
If you have questions or if you do not hear from the LMCIT adjuster, contact City Hall @ 763-753-2630.
Sanitary Sewer FAQs
What portion of the sewer service is the home owner responsible for?
The homeowner is responsible for repair and maintenance of the sewer service from the sewer main to the home.
How does the City of St. Francis inspect its sanitary sewers?
Remote control video cameras televise the entire sewer system. This video inspection locates existing and potential problem areas for repair including root cutting or root treating areas with tree root problems, joint sealing and short lining areas to correct infiltration and broken tile.
How often are the sanitary sewers cleaned?
The entire sewer system is cleaned with a high pressure sewer jetter once every 5 years or 1/5 of the system annually. Pressure changes when the City cleans the sewer main may cause your toilet to flush and or create noise.
What items should not be flushed down toilets?
Anything that will not totally dissolve and could plug the sewer mains such as disposable
diapers, sanitary napkins, bandages, rags, and plastics bags should not be flushed down the toilet.
What is a lift station?
Lift stations pump the sewer from a low point to a higher elevation which enables the sewage to flow by gravity to the next low point and eventually into the Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Sanitary Sewer System
The Public Works Department for the City of St. Francis maintains approximately 19.5 miles of sewer main, 655 Manholes, 12 Lift Stations and a Wastewater Treatment Plant. It is the City's objective to provide sewer lines of adequate size to handle existing and future sewage flows. We inspect, clean and maintain the sewer system to minimize sewer backups and other system problems. St. Francis attempts to eliminate any infiltration/inflow problems in the sanitary sewer system. These are sources of uncontaminated water which would provide an unnecessary burden on the wastewater treatment facility. Treatment costs and the cost of maintaining the City's system of trunk mains, laterals, and the wastewater treatment plant are paid for by the sanitary sewer utility. Customers are billed monthly.
Sanitary Sewer Backups
In service line blockages only one property is affected. These include back-ups related to tree roots and anything that will not totally dissolve that could plug the sewer service such as disposable diapers, sanitary napkins, bandages, rags, and plastics bags. The property owner is responsible for the repairs and maintenance of the sanitary sewer service from the City sewer main to the home.
A sewer main blockage will most likely affect more than one property. Sewer mains may back-up when the sewer main pipe breaks down. The City routinely inspects the sanitary sewer system to prevent sewer main failures. Sewer main back-ups may also be caused by the same items that cause private service line to back up. These items manage to flow through the private service line but then get stuck in the main. Improper cleaning of a private sewer service may move the blockage problem further down stream into the sewer main. Construction activities from time to time accidentally create blockage problems as well.
In catastrophic situations large numbers of properties are likely to be affected. These include back-ups related to exceptionally heavy rainfall exceeding the "100-year" amount; back-ups due to flooding; back-ups due to an extended power outage; and any disaster type situation.
Sanitary Sewer Back-Up Checklist
If you experience a sewer back up call City Hall at 763-753-2630 from 7:00 a.m.to 5:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday or call 911 after regular business hours and on weekends as soon as possible. Even if the problem is not located on the City's sewer main, the City wants to check the sewer mains for items, which may be cut loose and pushed into the City system and possibly cause a new blockage.
Begin the clean-up as promptly as possible. The City will report the back-up to the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust (LMCIT) and an adjuster will contact you shortly. In the
meantime, don't delay beginning the clean-up. For health and safety reasons, you may wish to use a commercial service rather than doing the clean-up yourself. A list of firms that do this type of work is located under carpet cleaners in the yellow pages. Please note that the City of St. Francis doesn't require, endorse, or recommend the use of any particular firm.
Notify your own insurance company. In many cases, your homeowner's or other insurance will cover some or all of the costs and damages from a sewer back-up. The LMCIT adjuster will also ask you for information on your own insurance.
Make a list of the items that were damaged or destroyed. Include as much information as you can on the description, age, and value of each item. Purchase receipts are helpful if they're available. If possible, it is helpful to take photographs of any damaged items that you dispose of. Keep receipts for any clean-up or repair work you have done.
If you have questions or if you do not hear from the LMCIT adjuster, contact City Hall @ 763-753-2630.
Sanitary Sewer FAQs
What portion of the sewer service is the home owner responsible for?
The homeowner is responsible for repair and maintenance of the sewer service from the sewer main to the home.
How does the City of St. Francis inspect its sanitary sewers?
Remote control video cameras televise the entire sewer system. This video inspection locates existing and potential problem areas for repair including root cutting or root treating areas with tree root problems, joint sealing and short lining areas to correct infiltration and broken tile.
How often are the sanitary sewers cleaned?
The entire sewer system is cleaned with a high pressure sewer jetter once every 5 years or 1/5 of the system annually. Pressure changes when the City cleans the sewer main may cause your toilet to flush and or create noise.
What items should not be flushed down toilets?
Anything that will not totally dissolve and could plug the sewer mains such as disposable
diapers, sanitary napkins, bandages, rags, and plastics bags should not be flushed down the toilet.
What is a lift station?
Lift stations pump the sewer from a low point to a higher elevation which enables the sewage to flow by gravity to the next low point and eventually into the Wastewater Treatment Plant.