City Council Meeting Date: February 17, 2026
To: Mayor and Members of Council
City Administrator
From: Justin Wagner, Utilities Manager
David Bennett, P.E., Public Works Director/City Engineer
Title
Consider Approval of Contract for Comprehensive Sewer Plan.
Body
Action Requested:
The City Council approves the consultant services contract with Bolton and Menk, Inc. (Attachment 1) for the Comprehensive Sanitary Sewer Plan Update.
Summary Report:
The City recently updated its Comprehensive Plan. With this updated plan, Staff had recommended to the City Council during the 2026-2027 budget development an update to the City’s comp sewer plan to align with the updated Comprehensive Plan. The updated comp sewer plan (Attachment B) will provide guidance for the City’s sewer system. This work is very important to facilitate economic development for tax base growth as having a current plan to tie to future development requests will create more predictability and planning to have “shovel ready” development in the future. It also is important as an overall guide to planning for overall growth and system needs in the near term.
The final report will include the following main items:
• description of existing facilities and existing demand including the existing collection system and flow monitoring results.
• discussion of expansion area and existing sewer Agreements (City of Dundas and their future growth plans).
• discussion of the wastewater treatment facility and proposed improvements to meet future standards (nitrogen, phosphorous, PFAS in biosolids, etc.).
• analysis of Ultimate Service Area with proposed improvements.
The report will include recommendations for meeting future growth. Figures will be included to show improvements to existing infrastructure and planned new infrastructure.
The previous comp sewer plan was last completed in 2007. With an update to this plan, the City will conduct updated flow monitoring of its existing sewer system to determine capacity of existing sewer lines. Flow monitoring will take place mid-April to June in the hopes to collect two 0.5’’ rainfall events to properly reflect inflow and infiltration into the sewer system.
City Plans & Policies Relevance:
• Northfield 2045 Comprehensive Plan
<https://www.northfieldmn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/25297/Comprehensive-Plan-for-2045?bidId=>
• Northfield Comprehensive Sanitary Sewer Plan
<https://www.northfieldmn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/607/ComprehensiveStormsewerPlan?bidId=>
Alternative Options:
Staff does not recommend an alternative option due to timing with getting flow monitoring installed.
Financial Impacts:
There is funding available in the 2026 budget that was planned and supported by the City Council.
Comprehensive Sewer Plan $ 73,750
Flow Monitoring 34,500
Total Contract $107,250
Tentative Timelines:
- Project kickoff will begin after approval of the contract.
- Flow monitoring will take place mid-April through June.
- Staff intends on bringing an update to the City Council in spring 2026 on the Sewer Comp Plan and Water Comp Plan.
- The Comp Sewer Plan will be completed in 2026.