In Wednesday's Times-Union, representatives of the group trying to force a major sewer project on residents near Chapman and Tippecanoe lakes admits to trying to add properties to his plans to spread the costs. He admits to over-development of lakefront property as the culprit.What he is not telling you is that for many years up through the '60s, most of the properties were cottages and not for year-round use. For some years now, we have seen these properties bought up by well off people who have bought up these properties, turned them into year-round residences with all the modern appliances that use lots of water. The high water table in these areas cannot handle it. So now they want homeowners with properties that have perfectly suitable soil conditions for septic systems to help shoulder the cost of their overdevelopment. In many cases, these are the same homeowners that did not like paying property taxes and forced a sales tax increase on us.
They also say that forming such a district will prevent the Indiana Department of Environmental Management from forcing regulations. That statement is so full of baloney that it doesn't deserve a response, but I will anyway. If the department sees fit to issue regulations, it will. At least if the issue is forced, voters have some influence with their elected representatives.
They have not spoken of costs, but if you Google "city of Warsaw Indiana sewer" you will find a link to show bids on a contract 13. This is for two small projects that Warsaw is doing. I doubt there is a mile of sewer being laid between the two. The lowest bid is nearly $1 million. A project that includes Chapman and Tippy lakes, and either a treatment plant or pumping the sewage to Warsaw or North Webster will have to have hundreds of miles of pipe and many wastewater lift stations. I cannot imagine a plan that would come in at less than $50 or 100 million.
If you Google "City boosts sewer capacity-Journal Gazette," you will find an article where Fort Wayne is doing a $240 million project. It reports that sewage bills in the city will triple by 2025 (before the project is completed) and increase 7 percent a year afterwards. And Fort Wayne has nearly a quarter of a million people to spread their costs across.
Again, I ask everyone effected by this proposal to contact the Kosciusko County commissioners and tell them to not support this proposal.
