Past Projects

German/Jefferson Lakes Septic Inventory (2011)

This project helped determine how many non-compliant septic systems occurred on each lake.  Landowners with non-compliant septic systems were notified and should have upgraded/replaced their septic systems.  This project helped encourage landowners to reduce septic waste entering each lake, and thus, improve water quality.

German/Jefferson Lakes Feasibility Study (2014)

The German/Jefferson Lakes Septic Inventory grant was amended to include a new initiative: feasibility studies.  The initiative identified and provided cost analysis/feasibility study of additional wastewater treatment alternatives for select areas within the Jefferson German Lakes Septic Inventory Project that have conditions that limit the installation of Type 1 ISTS.

Community Partner Conservation Program (2012)

This focus of this project was for Le Sueur County to partner with community partners (Soil & Water Conservation District, National Resource Conservation Service, and the Gorman Lake Association) to implement structural and vegetative practices that reduce runoff and increase water retention, thus improving water quality.  The projects that were included with this grant were two water retention basins which helped reduce phosphorus and sediment going into Gorman Lake.

Francis, Rays, Sakatah, Tetonka (FRST) Septic Inventory (2015)

This project helped determine how many non-compliant septic systems occurred on each lake.  Landowners with non-compliant septic systems were notified and are in the process of upgrading/replacing their septic systems.  This project will help encourage landowners to reduce septic waste entering each lake, and thus, will improve water quality.

Lake Volney Targeted Restoration (2015)

Lake Volney is impaired for nutrients.  The goal of this project was to implement numerous agricultural best management practices such as wetland restorations, cover crops, retention ponds, etc. in order to improve water quality within the watershed.

Well Sealing (2019)

An unused and/or abandoned well that is not sealed can pose a health, safety, and environmental risk. This occurs due to your unused well creating a direct pathway for surface runoff, pollutant, and wastes to enter drinking water sources.  This not only affects you, the landowners, but it also affects your community as well.  If your well is no longer being used, it should be sealed as soon as possible.  Your risk of pollutant contaminating your drinking water will be significantly reduced.  Le Sueur County received grant funds to financially assist landowners sealing their unused/abandoned wells.  The County was able to seal 21 unused/abandoned wells with this grant.

SSTS Low Income Grant (2019)

Le Sueur County was awarded funds to help prevent, reduce, and eliminate pollutants in groundwater and surface water from subsurface sewage treatment systems (SSTS). The low-income grant program assisted landowners with the financial costs that are required to design, install, repair, and replace a SSTS on residential property that has been deemed an imminent threat to public health or is failing to protect groundwater.  Le Sueur County was able to update 3 septic systems with this grant.