Flushable wipes are anything but flushable. US municipalities collectively spend over one billion dollars a year dealing with sewer issues resulting from flushable wipes being flushed. This does not include the money spent by homeowners dealing with blockages in their home that THEY must clear. Save yourself (and us!) some money – throw them in the trash can. Remember, just because something CAN be flushed doesn’t mean it SHOULD be flushed.
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IDEM Inspection – Aug
IDEM inspectors conducted an inspection on Aug 14. A copy of their inspection report is included for your review.
Notice of Rate Change
On April 15, 2014, after a public hearing, the Board of the Washington Township Regional Sewage District enacted a five percent (5%) increase in sewer rates, which is reflected on the bill you have received this month. As before, your sewer bill is based on water usage. Here are some important facts you should know about the change:
· The new rates are $9.50 per 1000 gallons of water used.
· The average user (based on 3,500 gallons usage) will only see an increase of about $1.60 per month.
· Rates remain low compared to rates in other local sewer districts.
· The initial sewer rates in 1986 were $6.23 per 1000 gallons. If sewer rates had been adjusted for inflation as calculated by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) every year since 1986 the rate would be $13.43 per 1000 gallons. Taking inflation into account, the newly enacted sewer rates are nearly 30% lower than they were in 1986.
The Board considered several factors weighing in favor of an increase. The Sewer District faces increased costs of operation, the possibility of growth in the community, and the need to save money for capital improvements. The Board has taken note that some other sewer districts faced with unexpected expenses, repairs, or capital improvements failed to gradually increase rates and were required to implement shocking, drastic rate increases, or were forced to go into debt to pay for unexpected costs and capital improvements. One of our neighboring sewer districts recently doubled rates in one year. The Board would prefer to implement gradual increases over time to allow time for adjustment rather than create a problem for the next generation to deal with.
The costs faced by the District are real and not entirely within the Board’s control. For example, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (“IDEM”) recently and unexpectedly mandated that the District have a source of backup power. This was a new unfunded mandate that was never previously required by IDEM. In order to comply with IDEM’s unfunded mandate, the District was forced to purchase a generator that cost approximately $30,000. IDEM also raised the fee for the District’s permit from $700 to $2,400 per year.
At the hearing, the Board also considered and discussed at length the factors weighing against an increase in rates, including a Petition submitted by concerned members of the community. Ultimately, the Board unanimously determined that the current rates were too low to meet the financial requirements of the Sewer District and approved the 5% increase in rates.
Legislative Update – 2014
The following changes were enacted by the 201 legislature.
SENATE BILL No. 405 Author: Yoder Citations Affected: IC 8-1-26
Synopsis: Underground utility facilities. Amends the statute concerning the location and protection of underground utility facilities (facilities) during excavation or demolition activities to require, with respect to an excavation or demolition in an unincorporated area, the excavator to submit a separate locate request and notice of the excavation or demolition (notice) to the Indiana Underground Plant Protection Service (association) for at least every 2,640 linear feet (versus every 2,500 linear feet under current law) of proposed excavation or demolition. Provides that a notice expires 20 days after the date the notice is submitted to the association. Provides that if, at the conclusion of the 20 day period, any part of the excavation or demolition is not complete at any part of the site for which the original notice was submitted, the excavator may not continue or resume the excavation or demolition until: (1) the excavator submits to the association a new locate request and notice for that part of the site for which the excavation or demolition is not complete; and (2) each affected utility operator (operator) provides facility locate markings for that part of the site for which the new locate request and notice are submitted. Provides that if an operator receiving notice of a proposed excavation determines that the operator is unable to: (1) locate and mark the operator’s affected facilities not later than the expiration of the statute’s mandated two-day period for doing so; or (2) mark the approximate location of the operator’s affected facilities; the operator shall notify the excavator and provide additional information and, if requested, onsite assistance to the excavator. Provides that mechanized equipment may not be used to perform an excavation within two feet of either side of the outer limits of a facility unless the excavator meets certain conditions. Provides that mechanized equipment may be used for the initial penetration and removal of pavement or other manmade hard surfaces if certain conditions are met. Urges the legislative council to assign to a study committee during the 2014 legislative interim the topics of underground facilities generally and the technology used to determine the elevation or depth, or both, of facilities subject to the statute. Provides that if a committee is assigned this topic for study, the committee shall not later than November 1, 2014, report its findings and recommendations to the legislative council and the governor. Makes technical changes.
HOUSE BILL No. 1170 Author: Kersey Citations Affected: IC 13-26-4-6
Synopsis: Regional district trustees. Provides that, with respect to a regional water, sewage, or solid waste district in which a majority of ratepayers and property owners are not individuals, only an individual who is registered to vote at an address located in the district may be appointed as a trustee of the district.
Thanks to IRSDA for this update.
HOUSE BILL No. 1187 Author: Bacon Citations Affected: IC 36-9
Synopsis: Municipal utility service. Provides that a municipal utility’s offering or providing of water or wastewater service in an area outside the corporate boundaries of the utility’s municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Indiana utility regulatory commission (IURC) under certain circumstances. Establishes criteria that the IURC must consider in resolving service disputes involving municipal utilities. Provides that the IURC may recover from a municipal utility costs associated with an investigation concerning utility service outside the corporate boundaries of the municipality.
Collection of past due accounts
A link to a copy of Indiana Code Section 36-9-25-11.5 has been added to the page titled Governance. It specifies a method by which the Board may require the disconnection of water service to a property that has not been paid within one billing cycle, provided there is a procedure in place to resolve disputed bills.
The Board will consider an ordinance to implement this procedure as an alternative to filing suit, which has been the only option of which we were aware in the past. This will be considered at the next Board meeting, which will be held at 6:30 PM on November 11 at the office on Nabb-New Washington Road.