Phase 1 of the West & Northwest Lake Drives Sanitary Sewer Expansion

All properties within 1,000 feet the ordinary high water level of Lake Poinsett is under the jurisdiction of the LPSD and therefore, per LPSD ordinance, is required to connect to the LPSD system, once it becomes available. Additionally, homes within 400 feet of an existing LPSD sanitary sewer line are also required to connect.

No, the land for the lagoon location was purchased by the LPSD in 2024. Only the construction of the lagoon is included in the project estimate.

It depends on where the mainline is located, but the intent would be for the sanitary sewer connection to begin at the location of the existing septic tank and go straight to the mainline.

This will be determined for each residence during design. Past LPSD expansion projects have included a combination of gravity service connections and pumped service connections based on the elevation of the home and the depth of the proposed sanitary sewer mainline.

The LPSD owns and maintains the system from the sewer mains to the point of connection from the existing services and is responsible for all operation and maintenance expenses.

As outlined in the Lake Poinsett Management Plan, water quality is a main concern and the LPSD was created to aid in the effort of keeping Lake Poinsett clean by completing a sanitary sewer system around the lake. Also, the longer the LPSD waits on completing the system, the more expensive it is going to get.

As of April 2026, the schedule is for the engineering survey and design to likely begin fall of 2026 and continue into 2027 for the project to be bid. Construction may begin later in 2027 and be completed in 2028 to early 2029.

Generally, the septic tanks are demolished and filled in. Drain fields may be abandoned or removed depending on the location of new sewer pipes.

This will be determined during design, but generally the gravity sewer mains are a minimum of 8-feet deep. Maximum depth is determined by a combination of soil and site conditions along with cost considerations.

The assumption is that roughly 30%, or approximately 40, residents are permanent, when looking at Hamlin County data of who has a mailing address of West Lake Drive. There are no known commercial accounts in the Phase 1 project area at this time.

First District Association of Local Governments and the SD DANR have both indicated that additional grant funds are unlikely.

The monthly sewer rate has not yet been determined. This will be calculated more accurately as the LPSD works with the DANR to finalize the project funding. Past LPSD sewer expansion projects have included a fixed connection fee set by the Board. The current LPSD residential rate $82 per month.

Past LPSD sanitary sewer projects have included installing new sewer service pipe from the collector main to a point of connection on the existing sewer service line past the demolished septic tank. Repairs would include replacing any pavement, grass, landscaping, etc. that was disturbed during construction.

The effect is admittedly hard to measure, but from the standpoint that there will no longer be septic systems with drain fields that seep into the ground, there will be less effluent that can potentially reach the lake.