FEMA Assistance May be Available for Damaged Wells and Septic Systems

Release Date Release Number
DR-4807-SD-NR-007
Release Date:
September 4, 2024

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – South Dakotans who lost access to water through a private well or damaged septic system in Davison, Lincoln, Turner, and Union counties as a result of the severe storms, straight-line winds, and flooding from June 16 to July 8, 2024, may be eligible for FEMA assistance.

For private wells and septic systems that supply water to your home, FEMA may reimburse you for the cost of a professional, licensed technician to visit your home and prepare an estimate detailing the necessary repairs or replacement of your disaster-damaged systems.

In addition to the technician’s estimate, FEMA may also pay for the actual repair or replacement cost of your septic system or private well, which typically are not covered by homeowner’s insurance.

If you have applied for FEMA assistance and have not had a home inspection, call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. At the time of your inspection, let the FEMA inspector know you have a private well and/or septic system that may have been damaged by the storms and flooding.

If the damage is determined to have been caused by the disaster, you may be eligible for FEMA assistance. 

If you have already had an inspection and damage to the well or septic system wasn’t reported, contact the FEMA Helpline to learn how to amend your application.

How to Apply for Disaster Assistance

  • Visit a Disaster Recovery Center in person. To search for Disaster Recovery Centers, visit www.fema.gov/drc or text DRC and your Zip Code to 43362 for a list of centers closest to you.
  • Go online to DisasterAssistance.gov for English, or DisasterAssistance.gov/es for Spanish.
  • Use the FEMA mobile app in English or Spanish.
  • Call the disaster assistance helpline at 800-621-3362 anytime from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week until further notice. Multilingual operators are available. Anyone using a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, can give FEMA the number for that service.

For an accessible video on three ways to apply for FEMA assistance, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU7wzRjByhI

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