Northern Township Updates Beltrami County on Sanitary Sewer Project

Credit: Northern Township

Northern Township has been working on plans to install water and sewer infrastructure on the north and east sides of Lake Bemidji. With several concepts being evaluated over the last few years, the township has updated the Beltrami County Board on the current plan and the potential for collaboration with the county.

The township discussed using a county-owned 80-acre parcel off of Big Bass Road, where they hope to put a small treatment plant that the township claims will have a small footprint, but with possible treatment of the water being done in areas where the water interacts between the plant and Lake Bemidji, as well as testing of the soil around the parcel, to see how the treated water would filter with the soil around the plant.

Members of the township spoke with Lakeland News about why this particular plot of land was the best course of action.

“We are looking at this piece because there’s no residents in this area and it wouldn’t affect … possible water treatment.” said Jess Frenzel, Northern Township Chairman. “So we’d be able to go to the north or to the south, depending on which direction we started with. But we’d probably be going to the north and up around County Road 20, up to Northwoods Landing is what our plan is. But this is a good center point to start [this phase].”

A bill (HF 5286) has been filed in the Minnesota Hosue by Rep. Matt Grossell asking for $10 million in bonds to fund the sanitary sewer collection and treatment system on the north and east sides of Lake Bemidji.