Residents Remain Skeptical of Sewer Fix

Some residents residing in the Gerrard-Allison stormwater relief project area are becoming skeptical that the town will never implement the project to end stormwater and sewage from flowing into their basements.

Judy Perfetto told the Speedway Stormwater Management Board on August 20 that she and some other residents have grown skeptical that the project will happen. The board assured her that construction should start late October or early November.

“I'll believe it when I see it,” she said. Perfetto explained she is tired of cleaning up sewage in her basement. She said she must burn candles because of the lingering odor from the June 11 backup. Perfetto has been struggling with sewage backup problems since 2001 when heavy rains hit the town. Perfetto has grown tired of the delays.

American Structurepoint Engineer Bob Hendrickson said the design phase is 80 to 90 percent complete, and Street Commissioner Wendell Walters will review the plans. American Structurepoint took over the project from the town's contract engineering firm, HNTB, in 2008.

Hendrickson explained the Gerrard Allison storm sewer separation project south of Crawfordsville Road will flow into the combined sewer on 16th Street, where a stub will be constructed at 16th and Auburn until the storm and sewer separation is completed on Main. The area west of Main will eventually collect the storm and sewer flows from the Gerrard Allison project.

The current system sends combined sewer and storm water down Main Street through a 72 inch line, which will remain combined until stormwater pipes can be installed. Hendrickson said the entire system will be done in phases.

Town Manager Barbara Lawrence said that separation on Main Street is “likely.”

Although the 72 inch pipe does not surcharge into the street, it does cause back-ups into basements. He said one of the bid options includes a slip line into the 72 inch main. The slip line would reduce the pipe size to 60 inches.

Lawrence said the town did not receive the $1 million Office of Community and Rural Affairs grant it applied for. She explained that the town was not a rural enough community as a reason for the grant rejection. Only 20 communities of the 60 applicants received grant money. Lawrence said the grant writer was hired at no cost to the town. “The particular grant that was being sought through OCRA allowed that all costs associated with the grant administrator would be paid for from the grant. Since the Town did not receive a grant, there is no expense to be paid for the grant administration or a cost to the Town.”

Lawrence is now working with the State Revolving Loan to borrow money with the possibility of seeking a bond anticipation note to fund the $4 million project.

Wastewater Treatment Plant Superintendent Norm Berry received approval to hire a consultant to complete the stormwater management report for IDEM. He said the state's reporting requirement is becoming more involved and is taking away time from plant operation. He emphasized that his expertise is wastewater, not stormwater. The report requires an assessment of all public facilities to see if they are implementing best management practices to control or treat pollution when entering the storm or sewer systems.

Berry said a citizen advisory committee still needs to review the long term control plan before submitting it to IDEM by November 1. The council appointed the committee at the June 22 meeting with the intentions of having a meeting in July.

Resident Dottie Tobias asked for town assistance so the residents can figure out how to provide the drainage relief on Vinewood. She dubbed it “Lake Vinewood" because of the standing water that occurs.

Walters said he would look at elevations in the area and get back with her.

Walters announced that the street department will meet with Indy Parks on September 2 to discuss some of the drainage problems in the Randy Schambaugh Park area. He said some of the drainage problems that developed in the rear lots on 29th Place after Indy Parks hauled in dirt to build up the ball diamonds.