NPDES Permit Still on Hold(posted Nov 12) The Indiana Department of Environmental Management is expected to approve the town's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit by the end of the year, starting a five year clock for the Town of Speedway to complete the estimated $21.3 million long term control plan. The town needs the permit in order to continue discharging water from the waste water treatment plant. The long term control plan involves building two clarifiers to hold excess untreated water during heavy rains instead of by-passing the treatment plant and being directly discharged into Eagle Creek. Town Council President Bill Golay said the solutions to fix the flooding and sewage on Gerrard Avenue would be included in the long term control plan's five year time line. Superintendent Norm Berry explained that IDEM has not approved the permit because it does not recognize the EPA's method of testing E.coli. IDEM recognizes only four methods of testing. He said the EPA's method was selected because it is compatible with the town's equipment to run the test. It would require new equipment if Berry used IDEM's methods. Berry said he has to submit comparison data that shows the EPA's method provides the same results of IDEM's methods before the agency will approve the permit. Berry also received council approval to seek a $40,000 grant for an engineer to develop a master plan that relates to the long term control plan. The master plan would create a unified effort to solve the town's storm water, sewers, and treatment plant's problems. The council also approved for Steve Hurst of the water utility to seek bids to paint the 1 million gallon storage tank at the water plant. The tank has not been painted since 1987. The cost is estimated between $200,000 and $250,000 and will be paid from the depreciation fund. The project is scheduled for 2008. |