City-County Council Approves Mayor’s plan to make Indianapolis neighborhoods cleaner, healthier

Clean Streams-Healthy Neighborhoods plan will expand treatment facilities, reduce chronic flooding and link 18,000 failing septic systems to city sewers

Indianapolis—The City-County Council today approved Mayor Bart Peterson’s $435 million plan to overhaul the city’s sewer system. The plan includes the expansion of Indianapolis wastewater treatment facilities, projects to reduce flooding and drainage issues, and the elimination of 18,000 failing septic tanks in Marion County.

The council voted 25-3 on two proposals to increase sewer rates and storm water fees over the next three years to fund the improvement projects. For an average homeowner in Marion County, monthly sewer bills will rise to $17.96 by 2008 from $9.59, with the first increase likely appearing on January billing statements. Stormwater fees will increase by $1, to $2.25 per month beginning next spring. Also, a sewer connection fee of $2,500 will be assessed on all new-home construction. Even with the increase, Indianapolis rates remain lower than cities across the state and country.

"Today marks a major investment in the infrastructure of our community that will make drastic improvements in the quality of life for Indianapolis neighborhoods," Mayor Peterson said. "The problems with raw sewage, chronic flooding and failing septic tanks have plagued our community for decades, and today, we’re doing something about it."

The 20-year plan will reduce the number of raw sewage overflows into our rivers and streams from an average of 63 per year to 4 per year.

Neighborhoods across the city will see projects and investments in infrastructure that will:

Since 2000, the city has invested more than $200 million to reduce raw sewage overflows and modernize sewage collection and treatment. These improvements have reduced raw sewage overflows by approximately 145 million gallons per year.

Over the next three years, the plan includes $400 million in sewage overflow and sanitary sewer/treatment projects and $35 million in flood control and drainage improvements. These improvements will be financed by increases in sanitary sewer fees, stormwater utility fees and sewer connection fees paid by property owners and developers who connect for the first time to the sewer system.

Sewer projects. Raw sewage overflows from outdated sewers are a century-old problem faced by many cities, especially in the Midwest and Northeast.

More than 100 years ago, Indianapolis built a "combined" sewer system that is still used today. It carries sewage, storm water and industrial waste away from homes, streets and factories in the same set of pipes. To avoid backups into homes, the system sends waste directly into Indianapolis waterways.

When as little as a quarter-inch of rain falls or snow melts, the extra water overloads the sewers, dumping raw sewage, human waste, toilet paper, disease-causing bacteria, such as E. coli, viruses, industrial waste, oil, grease and other pollutants directly into the city’s rivers, streams and creeks.

"Our sewers are out of date and bursting at the seams," the Mayor said. "In this day and age, it’s wrong to have raw sewage overflows with nearly every rain. It’s unhealthy to have failing septic systems in our neighborhoods. It’s dangerous to have sewage backing up into basements, neighborhood flooding and poor drainage. This must change."

Stormwater projects. The $1 stormwater fee increase will raise the current $1.25 per month stormwater utility fee to $2.25 per housing unit. This fee will appear on residents’ property tax bills next spring.

Connecting to city sewers. A $2,500 sewer connection fee will be charged for a new house or for a house connecting with city sewers. Multi-family housing will pay $2,500 per unit; industrial and commercial connections will pay a proportional amount based upon meter size. This fee requires new connections and new developments to help pay into the sewer system that has been built by others before them.

"Although these connection fees are not pleasant, they are common practice in most other communities, including surrounding communities outside Marion County," said Public Works Director Jim Garrard. "As our sewer rates rise to comply with regulatory requirements, it is only fair that new connections and new developments help pay into the sewer system that has been built by others before them."

Eliminating septic tanks. As of January 1, 2006, the city will stop using the state’s Barrett Law for septic conversion projects. Under the Barrett Law, the city could charge property owners for construction of city sewers in existing neighborhoods. With the Septic Tank Elimination Program (STEP), the city will pay to bring sewer service to approximately 18,000 homes in the next 20 years. This plan is an important "STEP" in the right direction for clean streams and healthier neighborhoods.

Property owners owing money for any existing Barrett Law sanitary sewer project will stop paying their assessments. Any remaining balances will be covered by the city. For new STEP projects, the city will pay for all sewer construction on public property. The property owner will still be responsible for costs on their property, such as abandoning the septic tanks, installing laterals to the home, and connecting to the sewer. This will reduce the average homeowner’s bill to the city by 60 to 70 percent.

The Mayor emphasized that everyone in Marion County who sends water down the drain, toilet or sink plays a part in the city’s sewer problems.

"Even if you live in a neighborhood that doesn’t have sewer overflows, septic systems or drainage problems, it’s very likely that your sewage is contributing to the problem somewhere downstream," the Mayor said. "We all must share in the solution to these problems."

The city has been working since 2001 to gain approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management for the long-term plan to address raw sewage overflows. Both have approved the second phase of the city’s plan, which will be partially funded through this rate increase.


	Last Updated: 11/9/2005 \| Print This Page \| Email to Friend