Master Plan Needed for Drainage and Waste Water


(posted Jan 27)

Town Councilor Jeff Hartman's first meeting January 24 as Storm Water Management Board President pressed for answers as to why the Dry Run Ditch restoration project remained idle after two years. The drainage project was put on hold in 2006 when the bids came in 50 percent higher than the engineer's estimate. He wanted answers from HNTB since the town has spent $226,000 in two years on drainage issues and nothing has changed as far as drainage relief to homeowners.

Hartman's questioning was an attempt to resolve the frustrated homeowners who suffer from sewage backups into basements during severe rains.

HNTB's Tom Hutka consistently answered that more computer modeling is needed because the scope has changed. He said in 2006 nobody could forecast the solutions about the Gerrard and Allison area between 16th Street and 21st Street or the required changes to the Long Term Control Plan by IDEM. The ditch project is a factor in reducing drainage water to the waste water treatment plant to comply with IDEM's rules. Hutka explained HNTB will model the entire town in 2008. He said modeling might point to a better spot to spend the $467,000 General Obligation bond money than on Dry Run Ditch.

For these reasons, Hutka explained that the Dry Run Ditch restoration program can no longer function as an independent project as it was classified in 2006. The drain clean out is now part of a bigger plan to provide drainage relief to Gerrard and Allison Avenue.

The ditch could serve as a holding pond to provide more drainage relief, Storm Water Management Board member Paul Maves explained. Maves said the 2006 drainage clean out project was result of residents complaining about the stagnant water.

Waste Water Treatment Plant Superintendent Norm Berry doubted if anybody ever questioned the importance of the project. He told Hutka that in 2006 a lot information was gathered about Dry Run from 30th Street to Georgetown Road that included surveys. He indicated less is known about the ditch inside inside the IMS property and as it connects into Little Eagle Creek.

The board did give the OK for David Kieser, grant writer, to pursue the community rural affairs $40,000 grant would be used to develop a master plan for the town's storm and waste water utility systems. It is a 90-10 match. The Request for Qualifications will be advertised for 30 days for engineers to respond.

"The actual planning grant application for the Stormwater and Wastewater Utility Master Plan is expected to be submitted in March 2008 to the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs," Kieser said.