Flood recovery in progress

In light of recent flooding, Governor Dayton declared a peacetime state of emergency for the counties of Anoka, Blue Earth, Cottonwood, Dodge, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Hennepin, Houston, Le Sueur, Mower, Nicollet, Olmsted, Ramsey, Rice, Scott, Sibley, Steele, Wabasha, Waseca, Washington, and Winona.
Residents of affected counties may contact their city officials to report damage to their homes and have the possibility of being given financial aid to offset the burden of damage from the flood.
The City of Owatonna will tentatively begin pick-up of sandbags starting September 30, 2016. City of Owatonna residents looking to dispose of both contaminated (in contact with water) or non-contaminated (no contact with water) sandbags must contact 507-444-2454 to arrange pick up.
Residents will need to move bags to the right-of-way and pile on the right corner of their property facing their home. There will be no charge for the pick-up and disposal.
Steele County residents outside of the City of Owatonna who need to dispose of sandbags may take them to the Steele County landfill free of charge. The landfill, located as 9240 SE 64th Ave., Blooming Prairie, MN 55917, is open 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday and 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. 
Sandbags which were not touched by flood water can be retained by property owners and do not need to be returned.