Compliance with Clean Water Act dies

TERRE HAUTE An ordinance that would have raised fees for septic disposal at the citys wastewater treatment facility died in the City Council Thursday night.

The ordinance, which also would have changed local regulations to meet federal environmental guidelines, never made it to a vote because of a lack of a second.

Councilman Todd Nation, D-4th, made a motion that General Ordinance 3, 2014 be adopted. There was no second from any other members of the council so the ordinance died.

Under council rules, the ordinance must now be changed substantially before it can be reintroduced to the council. Otherwise, the ordinance could not return for another vote for a year.

Chou-il Lee, city attorney, said he will make those changes to the ordinance and bring it back in July. The ordinance is needed to meet requirements of the U.S. Clean Water Act, he said.

In addition to meeting new federal requirements, the ordinance would increase disposal fees for sludge disposal at the treatment plant. No one from the public spoke against the fee increases; however, one person in the septic business asked why sludge from other counties is subject to a higher fee than sludge from Vigo County.

Residents of Vigo County pay a tax for the sanitary sewer system while non-Vigo residents do not, Lee said. As a result, sludge from out-of-county is subject to a higher disposal fee.

The disposal fees have not changed since about 2009, said Mayor Duke Bennett, who attended the council meeting. The ordinance also includes costs savings for the city, he said.

Well just have to find out what the issue is from members of the council who did not support the measure, Bennett said.

It surprised me, Nation said after the meeting about his motion not receiving a second. After reading the ordinance and the Clean Water Act requirements, he felt passage was not an optional thing.

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Compliance with Clean Water Act dies