SOUTH WHITLEY – Starlite Estates residents appeared at the June 12 South Whitley Town Council meeting, approaching the board again about discrepancies in their water utility charges.
Starlite Estates, just outside town limits, pays a premium on utility rates from the town because they do not contribute to South Whitley’s tax base.
Dixie Renfroe stepped forward with an example of the residents’ concerns. She presented the utility bills of 93-year-old Dorothy Bristow, who owns one of the five homes in the subdivision.
According to Renfroe, Bristow’s water usage for January was read as 1,600 gallons used and she was charged $46.07; another month her usage jumped to 3,100 gallons; in April 2012 – 1,000 gallons used with a price tag of $60; and in May 1,500 gallons used costing $45.72.
Dennis Eberhart, utilities manager, said residents are charged a flat rate for 2,000 gallons, whether they use that amount or not. The billing should be the same every month.
Kathy Marburger, another resident of Starlite Estates, said, “You said you looked at some of the meters to make sure they're registering correctly. There are only nine of us out there. Why wouldn’t you just look at them all?”
Councilman Tony Sarkey said the meters were checked to ensure they were operating within acceptable parameters.
“In the past we’ve estimated the bills. Now we’ve double-checked and the meters are being read each month. Our formulas are correct. We can spot check; we can’t second guess,” he said.
Starkey added that the billing software has also been double checked and was recently verified as operating correctly just last month.
Councilman Bill Boggs said, “There’s obviously a problem with billing.”
“Well, come back,” Starkey said. “We have a problem or we wouldn’t have them come in here. Get copies for the last six month, bring them to the clerk, and we’ll work on it.”
Eberhart said the office could print them out.
“This month I’ve lived like I’m in a third-world country,” Renfroe said. “I only flush the toilet once a day. I don’t use the dishwasher, I do the dishes by hand. My usage was 2,400 gallons, now it’s 1,400.”
The water meters at Starlite Estates are set into the ground and are covered. the covers take a uniquely-shaped wrench to open them. Renfroe wanted to be able to read her meter and suggested she might purchase a wrench to fit the cover.
Starkey advised her that she could buy a wrench, but the metering equipment and cover were not hers.
Starkey also advised the women that they had exceeded the five-minute subject limit, that they’d been given 15 minutes to speak, that the conversation for the evening was done and over for them.
The council moved on to another water issue, this one lasting 25 minutes.
The May 14 smoke test was designed to find where storm water runoff tapped into the wastewater treatment pipes.
It was no surprise to property owner Mike Renschler or town employees when the test indicated a state-prohibited tap.
Renschler, 501 S. State St., at the corner of Elm and State streets, has been pumping water out of his basement for years at an estimated rate of 60,000 gallons a day. His property appears to be on high ground, yet his basement is constantly flooding. He has three catch basins in his basement with three sump pumps running all day, every day, since he bought the house in 1989. The overflow goes into the waste water treatment lines and onto the sewage plant for treatment.
Because of recent state regulations, this water must go into the storm water system or into the river or into Renschler’s yard or onto the street.
Renschler said he was quoted $30,000 by Ironclad Construction to build a ditch and pipe system to the river.
If he dumps it into his yard it will go into the neighbors’ yards.
If it goes into the street, it will freeze in the winter.
Utilities manager Dennis Eberhart said there are no storm water lines available.
Town lawyer Greg Hockemeyer said the town, theoretically, isn’t obliged to help Renschler financially. He is required to get off the wastewater lines. Renschler’s water is going through the wastewater treatment plant and being treated as sewage at a great cost to that utility.
Because the town could be involved if Renschler takes any other option, letting it flow to the street or to a neighbor’s yard, the council decided to help him as much as possible.
Because State Street is also a state highway, the Indiana Department of Transportation may become involved, too.
Dave Harvey, office manager at Fleis and Vandenbrink Engineering, there to report on the wastewater treatment plant upgrades, said an artesian well might be in the vicinity of Renschler’s property, although he doesn’t know for sure. That, he said, could be one reason for the constant water flow.
To further complicate the situation, the three sump pump lines can’t be tied together in Renschler’s basement. One pump line would go out a side window onto Elm Street while the two others would go out the back window.
No one was sure if the three pumps had enough power to shove the water to a drainage pipe going into the river. A lift station may have to be constructed.
The town already has a six month extension on the storm water – wastewater separation project, Eberhart said, granted while a problem at Stumps – Shindigz was remedied. The town’s extension ends June 30.
Fines for non-compliance with the separation law are $2,500 per day.
Town council members are Tony Starkey, Bill Boggs and Steve Smith.
