North Webster Discusses Need For Sewer Service Around Lake
July 24, 2019 at 1:17 a.m.
By Deb McAuliffe Sprong-
Ken Jones of Jones Petrie Rafinski said his company worked with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management as plans for the Tippecanoe Chapman Regional Sewer District evolved. During that process, he said, he was approached by people on the east side of Webster Lake concerned about sewer issues.
Jones said he met with a property owners group of 25 to 30 people who wanted to know what it would take to solve their sewer issues.
He said a “prestudy” revealed about 180 homes without sewer service along the east side of the lake, from north of The Narrows to Epworth Forest Road.
He said he has worked with many areas to develop new utilities from scratch, including helping them get funding and organizing the various steps of each project.
He asked the council to consider a few questions: Is the council interested in expanding its sewer base? And if not, “Would you oppose a competing utility?”
Council President Lisa Strombeck said there are a lot of seasonal homes on that side of the lake and wondered if the 30,000-gallon average daily waste disposal figure Jones referred to took that into consideration.
Jones said IDEM wants them to consider that homes are “100 percent occupied all of the time,” but 30,000 gallons is typical of lake communities, which have learned to conserve; also lake properties often have only one bathroom and don’t have amenities such as dishwashers to increase usage.
“Are all 182 of these houses for it?” Councilman David Waliczek asked.
“They need to have a chance to say ‘yes’ or ‘no,’” agreed Councilman Dan Thystrup.
Jones said the process encourages public input and would keep residents affected by a new sewer district informed with direct mailings, legal advertising, public hearings and many monthly discussions with the Kosciusko County Commissioners.
He said he would be proposing a low-pressure sewer but would study one or two other options to be the “most cost effective” for the community.
Regarding cost, Jones confirmed for Thystrup that each homeowner would have an initial cost for the work on his property, then a monthly fee once the system was operating. The initial cost would vary for each home, depending on the distance from the home to the sewer system. Cost would be $22 to $32 a foot for the 4- to 6-inch pipe the system would use.
Homeowners would also have to pay to close out their septic systems.
Jayne Alger, North Webster’s manager for infrastructure, was not at Tuesday’s meeting. Council members agreed that Jones should meet with Alger to discuss the issue in more detail.
Also during the meeting, Alan Tio of KEDCo. gave a presentation asking “how we can work to support economic development in North Webster.” He said KEDCo. works with communities to find local solutions to problems such as housing and finding qualified workers.
Tio mentioned Polywood in Syracuse, which recently opened a franchise in North Carolina. If the time comes when the company has to decide whether it grows here or in another state, “we want to make it obvious.”
He also mentioned KEDCo.’s work on the reopening of Stonehenge in Winona Lake and said they’re looking for more projects like that where they can “help get things done.”
Tio said he is asking every town in the county to help fund KEDCo.’s mission. He said Kosciusko County has 70 percent of the funds that Whitley County has but is 2-1/2 times its size. “We need everyone to chip in,” he said, asking for a 6% contribution.
Strombeck said the council would discuss it and “see what we can come up with.”
The next council meeting will be at 6 p.m. Aug. 20.
Ken Jones of Jones Petrie Rafinski said his company worked with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management as plans for the Tippecanoe Chapman Regional Sewer District evolved. During that process, he said, he was approached by people on the east side of Webster Lake concerned about sewer issues.
Jones said he met with a property owners group of 25 to 30 people who wanted to know what it would take to solve their sewer issues.
He said a “prestudy” revealed about 180 homes without sewer service along the east side of the lake, from north of The Narrows to Epworth Forest Road.
He said he has worked with many areas to develop new utilities from scratch, including helping them get funding and organizing the various steps of each project.
He asked the council to consider a few questions: Is the council interested in expanding its sewer base? And if not, “Would you oppose a competing utility?”
Council President Lisa Strombeck said there are a lot of seasonal homes on that side of the lake and wondered if the 30,000-gallon average daily waste disposal figure Jones referred to took that into consideration.
Jones said IDEM wants them to consider that homes are “100 percent occupied all of the time,” but 30,000 gallons is typical of lake communities, which have learned to conserve; also lake properties often have only one bathroom and don’t have amenities such as dishwashers to increase usage.
“Are all 182 of these houses for it?” Councilman David Waliczek asked.
“They need to have a chance to say ‘yes’ or ‘no,’” agreed Councilman Dan Thystrup.
Jones said the process encourages public input and would keep residents affected by a new sewer district informed with direct mailings, legal advertising, public hearings and many monthly discussions with the Kosciusko County Commissioners.
He said he would be proposing a low-pressure sewer but would study one or two other options to be the “most cost effective” for the community.
Regarding cost, Jones confirmed for Thystrup that each homeowner would have an initial cost for the work on his property, then a monthly fee once the system was operating. The initial cost would vary for each home, depending on the distance from the home to the sewer system. Cost would be $22 to $32 a foot for the 4- to 6-inch pipe the system would use.
Homeowners would also have to pay to close out their septic systems.
Jayne Alger, North Webster’s manager for infrastructure, was not at Tuesday’s meeting. Council members agreed that Jones should meet with Alger to discuss the issue in more detail.
Also during the meeting, Alan Tio of KEDCo. gave a presentation asking “how we can work to support economic development in North Webster.” He said KEDCo. works with communities to find local solutions to problems such as housing and finding qualified workers.
Tio mentioned Polywood in Syracuse, which recently opened a franchise in North Carolina. If the time comes when the company has to decide whether it grows here or in another state, “we want to make it obvious.”
He also mentioned KEDCo.’s work on the reopening of Stonehenge in Winona Lake and said they’re looking for more projects like that where they can “help get things done.”
Tio said he is asking every town in the county to help fund KEDCo.’s mission. He said Kosciusko County has 70 percent of the funds that Whitley County has but is 2-1/2 times its size. “We need everyone to chip in,” he said, asking for a 6% contribution.
Strombeck said the council would discuss it and “see what we can come up with.”
The next council meeting will be at 6 p.m. Aug. 20.
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