Welcome to the Official Web Site of Indianapolis and Marion County, Indiana

The Need

Q.  What do we need to do to improve our sewer and stormwater systems?
A. Like many Midwestern cities, Indianapolis’ sewer infrastructure needs to be improved to address raw sewage overflows, bring sewers to homes currently on septic systems, maintain and upgrade aging sewers and treatment plants, and improve inadequate stormwater drainage systems. These problems create health hazards, hurt our environment and harm the quality of life in our neighborhoods.

For the sanitary sewer system and sewer overflow projects planned for 2009 through 2013, we need approximately $750 million in capital revenue. During that same time period, the city of Indianapolis also plans to invest another $75 million in stormwater improvement projects. Our capital needs include:

• Funding for the 2009-2013 period of the city’s federally mandated long-term plan to control raw sewage overflows;
• Expansion, maintenance and upgrades for our two sewage treatment plants;
• Rehabilitation of aging sewers and lift stations;
• Additional sewer capacity in the most rapidly developing areas of the city; 
• Extending sanitary sewers into neighborhoods now served by septic systems; and
• Addressing drainage and flood control needs throughout the county.

Q.  Why do we have raw sewage spilling into our streams?
A.  Indianapolis’ sewer system is antiquated and no longer can handle the amount of sewage and rainwater that flows through it. More than 100 years ago, Indianapolis built a sewer system to carry rainwater and melting snow away from homes, businesses and streets. When indoor plumbing came later, homeowners and business owners hooked their sewage lines to the storm sewers, combining stormwater and sewage in one pipe. This was common practice in more than 700 U.S. cities, especially in the Northeast and Midwest.

During dry weather, the combined sewers carry sewage to the city’s wastewater treatment plants. However, as little as a quarter-inch of rain or snowmelt can overload the sewers incoming stormwater. When this happens, the sewers are designed to overflow into nearby streams and rivers. If the sewers didn’t have this escape valve, raw sewage would back up into people’s homes, basements and streets. Today, we build separate sewers for stormwater and sewage.

Q.  What are the harmful effects of raw sewage overflows?
A.  Raw sewage in our streams is a health hazard, smells and looks disgusting, hurts our environment and harms the quality of life in our neighborhoods. Sewage overflows are a major cause of pollution in White River, Fall Creek, Pleasant Run, Pogues Run and Eagle Creek.

Q.  How can we reduce raw sewage overflows to our streams?
A.  Indianapolis’ 20-year plan to reduce sewer overflows is underway. This long-term plan is required under a federally mandated consent decree with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. Implementation began in 2006 and will continue through 2025. When complete, the plan will:

• Protect public health and improve the quality of life in many neighborhoods now suffering from the sight and stench of raw sewage
• Reduce overflow frequency from 45 to 80 events per year to two to four events per year – actual overflows will depend on the weather each year
• Capture up to between 95 percent and 97 percent of raw sewage that might otherwise be dumped into the city’s streams
• Make streams safer for fish, reduce odors and capture toilet paper, sanitary waste and other unsightly materials found in overflowing sewers
• Minimize impacts on neighborhoods and businesses by locating most overflow storage facilities deep underground

Q.  When will you start to fix this problem?
A.  Work already is underway. Since 2000, the city of Indianapolis has spent hundreds of millions of dollars to reduce sewer overflows near parks, schools and streams, eliminate failing septic systems throughout Marion County and improve our sewer system and treatment plants. The city of Indianapolis has reduced the amount of sewage overflowing into area streams and rivers by 1.07 billion gallons per year on average since 2000. By 2013, the city expects to reduce annual overflows by an additional 1.42 billion gallons per year, for a total average of 2.49 billion gallons reduced per year.

The Cost

Q.  How much will my sewer rates increase?
A.  Mayor Ballard is taking steps to reduce the impact of sewer rate increases and has already been able to reduce the potential rate increase that could have been needed by nearly one-half. When Mayor Ballard took office, consent decree-related costs had escalated by $300 million, which took the total Clean Streams-Healthy Neighborhoods program to $3.8 billion. Mayor Ballard challenged DPW re-evaluate the costs and scope of many sewer projects and select the most effective and financially responsible options through a process called value engineering. DPW used value engineering to identify savings to bring the overall program cost down to $3.3 billion, while staying ahead of schedule on the implementation of the consent decree program.

The originally planned capital improvement projects for 2009 through 2013 were expected to cost $1.3 billion. DPW was able to value engineer that plan to a cost of $750 million. Original rates could have increased 20.4 percent annually from 2009 through 2013, while the re-engineered plan requires rates to increase annually by only 10.75 percent from 2009 through 2013. On April 13, 2009, the City-County Council approved these annual rate increases, and new sanitary sewer rates will go into effect May 1, 2009.

Stormwater rates are not planned to increase in 2009, however, projects to reduce flooding and drainage problems will continue.

Q.  How high could my sewer bill be at the end of the 20-year plan?
A.  Long-term sewer rates are difficult to predict because of rapidly changing regulatory requirements, technology changes, and higher-than-average inflation in the construction industry. However, by 2025, current projections for residential sanitary sewer rates are estimated to be about $105 per month in 2025 dollars or $60 to $70 in 2009 dollars. However, the city continues to look for innovative ways to prevent sewer rates from escalating to that extent.

Q.  How do Indianapolis sewer rates compare to other cities’ rates?
A.  Indianapolis sewer rates are low in comparison to other cities of our size and other cities in Indiana. Through April 2009, Indianapolis residential customers pay $17.96 per month, based upon the average home using 5,400 gallons. Stormwater utility fees are $2.25 per month for residential properties. According to a recent rate survey, comparable rates in other cities were higher than Indianapolis’ rates. See the charts below.

Q.  How can people living on a fixed income afford these costs on top of other rising prices?
A.  We are very concerned about the impact of the cost of these improvements on the elderly and low-income and all of our residents. That’s why we have negotiated a 20-year schedule and plan to phase in rate increases only as we need them to pay for projects.

Q. How will the Summer Sewer Maximum Credit change?
A. Residents will continue to receive the Summer Sewer Maximum Credit, which credits household users for higher-than-normal water use during summer months. The credit is currently based on a two-month average. Beginning in 2009, the credit will be based on a 12-month average to make the credit more accurate. Water use above the average will be credited to users’ accounts from May through September.

Q. What is the sewer connection fee and what is it for?
A. The fee to connect to the city sewer system is currently $2,500 per equivalent dwelling unit (EDU). In Indianapolis, one EDU is considered to be equivalent to a single-family residence. The fee for connections other than single-family residential are calculated according to the Indianapolis Sanitary District Standards. Connection fees must be paid before connecting to the sewer system. This fee requires new connections and new developments to help pay into the sewer system that has been built by others before them. The city has a STEP Financial Assistance Plan to help lower-income residents in STEP project areas pay the current $2,500 connection fee over time. The connection fee will adjust annually, based on adjustments to the Consumer Pricing Index (CPI) beginning in 2010.

Q.  I am a first-time home buyer. Does the sewer connection fee make new houses in Indianapolis less affordable?
A.  This one-time fee is comparable to similar fees paid in surrounding communities, so the fee does not significantly affect the competitiveness or affordability of Marion County housing. It is only fair that new connections and new developments help pay into the sewer system that has been built by others before them.

The Benefits

Q.  What benefits will we receive for our dollars?
A.  Because of these investments, the city will have cleaner streams and healthier neighborhoods. These funds will help many neighborhoods suffering from the sights and smells of raw sewage in their streams, flood control and drainage problems that threaten life and property, and health problems related to poor water quality of local waterways.

In addition, Mayor Ballard is committed to bringing sewers to neighborhoods with failing systems as quickly as possible. From 2009 through 2013, the city plans to bring sewers to approximately 7,000 homes currently on septic tanks.

Key sewer projects and highlights for 2009 through 2013 include:

• Bring sewers to approximately 7,000 homes currently on septic systems
• Begin engineering planning for the Fall Creek/White River Tunnel
• Continue the Belmont-Southport Interplant Connect project 
• Begin constructing the Belmont North Parallel Interceptor
• Upgrade Lift Station 507 in Broad Ripple
• Capture an additional 1.42 billion gallons of raw sewage annually, by the end of 2013

 
Key stormwater projects and highlights for 2009 through 2013 include:

• Continue the drainage improvement project along Kessler Boulevard that will benefit residents and thousands of commuters
• Indianapolis North White River Flood Damage Reduction project
• Complete improvements at Eagle Creek dam
• Begin drainage improvement project in Frog Hollow neighborhood that will divert approximately 80 percent of water away from the neighborhood

Q.  Will the long-term solution completely eliminate all raw sewage overflows?
A.  No. At the end of 20 years, overflows will be reduced dramatically from today’s 45 to 80 events each year down to two to four events each year. Actual frequency will depend on the type of storms, but only the largest storms will still cause some overflows. Overflows will occur when streams are flowing fast and people are not likely to be exposed to raw sewage. The city has developed an affordable plan that focuses dollars on projects that will do the most to improve water quality and protect public health.

Q.  Will stormwater projects eliminate flooding in Frog Hollow, Ravenswood and all other neighborhoods?
A. No. Stormwater funding will help improve drainage and flood control in many areas, but it is not possible to eliminate all neighborhood flooding. A project to improve drainage in Frog Hollow currently is being designed. When improvements are complete, 80 percent of the water during most floods will be diverted away from the Frog Hollow neighborhood. The city also will continue to invest in maintenance improvements in the Ravenswood neighborhood. However, the Frog Hollow and Ravenswood neighborhoods both are located in the flood plain of the White River, which makes future flooding an inevitable way of life for those residents.

Q.  I don't fish or swim in the White River and don’t live in the inner city. How does this rate increase benefit me?
A.  The rate increases will fund projects throughout Marion County, not just in the inner city. In addition to our long-term plan to reduce sewer overflows, we must extend sanitary sewers to neighborhoods now on septic systems, upgrade our treatment plants and provide more capacity in our separate sewer system outside the old city limits. Although sewers are sometimes “out-of-sight, out-of-mind,” they are just as important to our city’s future as our roads, bridges and highways. 

Q.  Why are we trying to make the White River swimmable? No one swims in the river and smaller streams aren’t deep enough for swimming. Parents should keep their kids out of these streams.
A.  It is not our goal to make the White River and other streams swimmable 100 percent of the time. There are a few large storms that still will cause overflows even after the new facilities are built. Our plan is the most cost-effective way to meet federally mandated requirements and at the same time protect public health. We agree that urban streams are not safe for swimming, and the city has educational programs to warn children and adults to the dangers of water that might be contaminated by sewage and urban stormwater.

Q.  How will these projects benefit local businesses?
A.  The city will work hard to ensure that locally owned and operated businesses will participate in the work, thus keeping dollars in Indianapolis and Central Indiana as much as possible. When local businesses benefit, other local companies that serve those businesses and their employees also will benefit. This plan will allow our city to continue to grow and attract new business opportunities. 

Q.  Will these rate increases hurt our competitiveness as a city?
A.   Even with these rate increases, the city’s sewer rates will still be among the most affordable in the region and the nation. Indianapolis and its surrounding communities are growing, signaling that our region is an attractive destination.

Other Questions

Q.  What is happening with other cities on the White River who have sewage overflows?
A.  Indiana has 108 communities with raw sewage overflows, including several on the White River. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management is responsible for ensuring that these communities are addressing the problem just as Indianapolis is doing.