Before purchasing tax-forfeited property, check for potential environmental concerns. Some concerns may include contaminated soil used as fill, an old farm dump, an old foundation buried on the property, an underground storage tank that was not removed, a well or a septic system.
For commercial property
For commercial property, an environmental consultant may need to do a thorough investigation to determine the environmental history and current condition of the property. Contact the Water Resources Department at 952-891-7000 for more information about old dumps or other potential concerns.
Water, wells and septic systems
The state of Minnesota requires a
Well Disclosure Certificate to identify all wells on the property, including sealed wells. Dakota County requires a
water test for any well that is in use for drinking water at the time of property transfer. A well that is not in use must be either be brought back into use, sealed, or annually permitted as an unused well. This requirement is enforced at the time of property transaction. Dakota County Well Seal Grant Program helps property owners with the cost of
sealing unused wells.
A septic system must have a compliance inspection done by a licensed inspector. If the inspector issues a Notice of Non-compliance, the owner must
repair or replace the failing septic system components.