Written and reviewed by the Kuesel field operations & estimating team
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Kuesel is a family-owned site work and utility contractor based in O'Fallon, MO, building sites across St. Louis since 1963.
In St. Louis City and most of St. Louis County, new sanitary and storm sewer connected to the public system is reviewed and inspected by the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD). This guide describes how that work generally flows from a contractor's side. It does not list MSD requirements: always confirm current MSD standards with MSD and the approved plans. For our MSD work, see MSD work.
How the work generally flows
Plan approval
The owner's engineer submits the sewer and stormwater plans for MSD review. Construction is built to the approved plans, so changes in the field generally go back through the engineer.
Permits
Permits are obtained before the work starts. Who pulls which permit depends on the project; confirm current MSD standards for what applies.
Inspections
MSD inspection is generally part of the work on public or to-be-public sewer. Scheduling inspections ahead keeps trenches from sitting open.
Testing
New sewer is typically tested before acceptance, commonly with line testing, manhole testing and video inspection. The required tests come from the specifications.
As-builts and acceptance
Record drawings of what was built are generally needed before the system is accepted. Keeping measurements as the pipe goes in makes as-builts easier.
What helps the process go smoothly
- Approved plans and permits on site before work starts
- Inspection requests scheduled in advance
- Field changes routed through the engineer of record
- Test results and as-built information collected as the work goes
- Current MSD standards confirmed for the project
For the 2027 changes, see our MSD 2027 rules guide. For stormwater review across the region, see stormwater requirements for developers.
Questions
- Does MSD review every site in the St. Louis area?
- No. MSD's boundaries cover St. Louis City and most of St. Louis County. Other areas are reviewed by other agencies and local governments.
- Where do I find current MSD requirements?
- From MSD directly and from the project's approved plans and specifications. Requirements change, so confirm current MSD standards for each project.
This guide is general information from a site contractor, not engineering or legal advice. The engineer of record, the approved plans, the permits and the reviewing agencies govern your project.