IDEM to Contact Speedway over Water Release

(posted June 11)

The Town of Speedway may be in need of a permit to release 400,000 to 500,000 gallons of potable into Little Eagle Creek on Friday. The water utility company planned to drain the water tower by 16th Street for a June 16 and 17 inspection.

IDEM Public Information Officer Amy Hartsock explained the town would need a permit because of the chlorine contained in the water. She said IDEM plans to contact the town about the issue and will have a report by Thursday.

Matt Buffington of DNR said the agency would not get involved unless there is a fish kill downstream. He said there has not been a study to know what kind of impact that draining a water tower would have downstream. However, he explained it would not be good with all of the heavy rains to drain the tower Friday. Heavy rains are predicted again.

Buffington and Hartsock indicated that neither agency has a water conservation policy to address issues for draining water towers. Water is becoming more of valuable commodity as growth pressures increase the demand.

Lou Ann Baker of Veolia Water Indianapolis explained that "when we empty a tank, we initially draw the tank down through supplying the system as best we can." The second step involves emptying the remainder into the sewer system or "empty the tank and dechlorinate the water, prior to releasing to a waterway. Generally, we would empty into the sewer system."

Michael Ellis, DNR Public Information Officer said DNR normally does not get involved social issues like transporting potable water to other communities. However, Chris Smith of DNR said they would try to contact the National Guard because of the southern Indiana communities in need of water.

For communities like Speedway and Indianapolis, the water is released into a stream or into the waste water treatment plant. Speedway Water Assistant Superintendent Steve Hurst said he did not have a per unit cost to treat water.