Austin Implements New Point of Sale Ordinance

Sewer line and sump pump inspections now required for property sales starting March 1

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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The City of Austin, Minnesota is implementing a new Point of Sale Ordinance on March 1 that will require sewer line and sump pump inspections for all property sales. The ordinance is an extension of the city's Inflow and Infiltration Program started in 2018 to reduce the amount of clean water entering the sanitary sewer system, which can overwhelm the system during high water events.

Why it matters

The ordinance aims to address issues the city faced in 2024 when a high water event caused the wastewater treatment plant to spike to seven times its normal flow, leading to backups in some homes. By requiring inspections during property sales, the city hopes to identify and fix problems that allow clean water to enter the sanitary sewer system, improving overall infrastructure and reducing strain on the wastewater treatment plant.

The details

The Point of Sale Ordinance will require sellers to have their sewer lines and sump pumps inspected prior to a property sale. Realtors will provide information to help sellers find plumbers and contractors to conduct the necessary inspections and provide documentation to comply with the new rules. The ordinance is an extension of the city's Inflow and Infiltration Program started in 2018 to address the issue of clean water entering the sanitary sewer system.

  • The Point of Sale Ordinance will go into effect on March 1, 2026.
  • The ordinance was originally planned to start on April 1, 2025 but was delayed after feedback from the community and real estate professionals.
  • The high water event that overwhelmed the city's wastewater treatment plant occurred in 2024.

The players

City of Austin

The local government implementing the new Point of Sale Ordinance.

Steven Lang

City Engineer for the City of Austin.

Joel Rachwitz

Housing Resource and Code Enforcement Specialist for the City of Austin.

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA)

The state agency that oversees wastewater treatment and has asked the City of Austin to address the issue of inflow and infiltration.

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What they’re saying

“Now we are just taking it to the next level here with the inspection program ... we weren't able to look at the private sewer services to the main.”

— Steven Lang, City Engineer (austindailyherald.com)

“Our treatment plant during a flood event will spike seven times its normal flow. We have to justify to the (Minnesota Pollution Control Agency) why it's spiked so much, and the MPCA actually has asked us what we are doing to solve the problem.”

— Steven Lang, City Engineer (austindailyherald.com)

“It forced us to develop programs to get rid of inflow and infiltration. It's us wanting to do the right thing.”

— Steven Lang, City Engineer (austindailyherald.com)

What’s next

Realtors will provide information to help sellers find plumbers and contractors to conduct the required sewer line and sump pump inspections ahead of the March 1 implementation date.

The takeaway

The new Point of Sale Ordinance is an important step for the City of Austin to address issues with clean water entering the sanitary sewer system, which can overwhelm the wastewater treatment plant during high water events. By requiring inspections during property sales, the city hopes to identify and fix problems that contribute to this problem, improving the overall health and resilience of the city's infrastructure.