MARSHALL — The effects of an unusually wet autumn are lingering in Marshall — and creating a slippery mess on sidewalks and streets, Marshall Public Works Director Glenn Olson said.

Olson said the city of Marshall has received a number of complaints about sump pumps discharging onto the streets. Groundwater levels in Marshall are abnormally high due to wet weather, and sump pumps are running more than they usually would in November. Unfortunately, as temperatures drop, the water being discharged by the sumps freezes, creating hazardous conditions for both pedestrians and vehicles.

So far, Olson said, the city has been contacted about a dozen or more properties with this problem. The Marshall Post Office has even been in contact with the city with concerns about the safety of letter carriers delivering mail, he said.

Olson said the city is sending out letters warning property owners about icy patches caused by their sumps running onto the street or sidewalk.

“There are a lot of people not taking advantage of (Marshall’s) sump pump discharge program,” Olson said. Residents who apply for a permit can connect their sumps into the city sanitary sewer system between Oct. 31 and April 1. The permit application has a first-time fee of $50, and $75 for a renewal.

Olson said applications for a sump pump connection permit will be included in the letters sent out to property owners.

If property owners choose not to connect their sump pumps to the sanitary sewer during the winter, Olson said sumps must be discharged away from the public right of way, including sidewalks and streets.