Private Property Inflow and Infiltration Grant Program
Inflow and infiltration is clear water — stormwater and groundwater — that enters the wastewater system. More than half of this clear water in the metro region’s sewer system comes from private properties, homes, and businesses. Pipes, also known as sewer laterals, connect private properties to the city sanitary sewer and can experience cracks and deterioration that come with age or when roots break through the pipes, allowing groundwater into the system. This clear water doesn’t need to be treated as wastewater. It can take up space in the wastewater system and cause costly sewer backups into homes and buildings, or sewer overflows into rivers and lakes.
Returning for a second year, the 2025 Private Property Inflow and Infiltration Grant Program is providing $1.5 million in wastewater revenue to provide grants to private property owners to help with repairs that will remove and prevent clear water from entering the wastewater treatment system. The Minnesota Legislature amended statute 471.342 to allow the Met Council to provide grant funding to local municipalities to assist private property owners with costs associated with repairing sewer infrastructure on their property.
In Winter 2023, a task force met to design this program. The 2023 Private Property Inflow & Infiltration Task Force Report (PDF) summarizes the work of the committee. The Environment Committee and Metropolitan Council approved this report in July 2023.
Eligibility
This grant program is available to the region’s municipalities that the Met Council has designated as excessive inflow and infiltration contributors, or those that have had a measurable flow rate within 20% of the permitted flow limit. Municipalities may apply to receive grant money and distribute those funds to private property owners or contractors in alignment with the grant program guidelines. Municipalities who choose to pay the private property owner directly may be required to provide a 1099 tax form.
Eligible work includes
- Private lateral repair and / or replacement
- Foundation drain disconnections and new sump pump, if associated with the foundation drain disconnect
- Sewer lateral inspection and cleaning costs if:
- Applicant meets the equity need or
- Televising and cleaning result in repair or replacement of sewer lateral
Grant awards may be 50% of eligible costs up to $5,000. For private property owners meeting their municipality’s equity criterion, the grant award may increase up to $10,000.
Qualified spending on eligible work can happen between Jan. 1, 2025 and Dec. 31, 2025.
We held a virtual information session on the 2024 grant program in November 2023. Meeting materials from that information session are available below.
For private property owners
Each municipality will have an application process for residents to apply for a grant if the municipality chooses to participate in the program. Please check with your city or township to see whether you will be able to seek grant funding for private property repairs.
Equity
Thrive MSP 2040 is the Met Council’s vision for the region. It has five outcomes that reinforce and support each other to produce greater benefits for the region: stewardship, prosperity, equity, livability, and sustainability. In support of Thrive MSP 2040, this program has an opportunity to further equity by providing higher grant awards to residents that meet their city or township’s equity need.
Recommendations for grant awards are provided in the program guidelines.
Learn more about inflow and infiltration.