Mayor proposes sweeping plan to make Indianapolis neighborhoods cleaner, healthier

Plan tackles raw sewage overflows, chronic flooding & failing septic tanks

Rates to increase over three years, but will still be lower than most cities across state, country

INDIANAPOLIS-Mayor Bart Peterson today released plans to improve the health and quality of life in neighborhoods throughout Marion County by curbing raw sewage overflows in to rivers and streams, address chronic flooding and addressing the thousands of failing septic tanks in homes across the city.

The plan announced today is the result of at least 10 years of outreach to neighborhoods, the business community, health officials and other community leaders to address problems that have existed for more than 100 years.

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

� Continue the city�s long-term plan to reduce the century-old problem of raw sewage overflows into White River, Fall Creek and other neighborhood streams;

� Eliminate the onerous Barrett Law process to convert neighborhoods from septic systems to city sewers;

� Address high-priority flood control and drainage issues in neighborhoods throughout the county; and

� Keep up with growing neighborhood needs for sewer capacity and sewage treatment.

Sewer fees, which currently are less than $10 a month, and stormwater fees, which are less than $1.50, will rise over the next three years, but will still be 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."

"At the dawn of the 21st Century, it is simply unacceptable for this city to continue releasing sewage into our waterways at such an alarming rate," the Mayor said.

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.

"We are doing something about the problem, but we need to do more," Peterson said. "The state and federal governments have made it very clear that we must address these problems. It�s better to spend our dollars fixing the problems here than to pay fines to Washington or the state government."

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."

The new sewer rate will raise the average household user�s sewer bill from $9.59 a month for 5,400 gallons of water use to $12.38 a month in 2006, $15.17 in 2007 and $17.96 in 2008. If approved, the first increase would appear on water/sewer bills in January 2006.

The phased increase keeps Indianapolis rates competitive with other communities� rates. Additional rate increases will be needed every year for the next 20 years to meet federal requirements, the Mayor said.

Stormwater projects. The Mayor also announced he would support a $1 increase to the current $1.25 per month stormwater utility fee, raising the fee to $2.25 per housing unit. If approved, this fee will appear on residents� property tax bills next spring.

Connecting to city sewers. The city also proposed a new $2,500 sewer connection fee to 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 would pay a proportional amount based upon meter size. This fee will require 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 James 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. If the City-County Council approves the new rates, the city will stop using the state�s Barrett Law for all new septic conversion projects. Under the Barrett Law, the city charges property owners for construction of city sewers in existing neighborhoods. Under the new Septic Tank Elimination Program (STEP), the city will bring sewer service to approximately 18,000 homes in the next 20 years.

Upon Council approval, property owners owing money for any existing Barrett Law sanitary sewer project will stop paying their assessments. At that time, any outstanding Barrett Law debts 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 announced the plan outside Harshman Middle School, which sits on Pogues Run, one of many neighborhood streams affected by sewer overflows, neighborhood flooding and failing septic systems. He was joined by Dr. Virginia Caine, director of the Marion County Health Department; students from Harshman and members of the City-County Council, DPW�s Clean Stream Team Advisory Committee, the Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce and other community leaders.

"The Environmental Protection Agency ranks septic systems as one of the top five sources of groundwater contamination," Dr. Caine said. "Failing septic systems create a number of public health issues including a long list of diseases caused by bacteria, viruses and parasites that can be spread by sewage-contaminated water. Sewage related infectious diseases such as hepatitis can be quickly transmitted from an infected person to a healthy person, creating a significant and potentially large public health issue."

For example, rotavirus, often associated with contaminated water, is the most common cause of severe diarrhea among children, leading to more than 50,000 hospitalizations annually in the United States.

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: 12/31/2007 \| Print This Page \| Email to Friend