District discusses Sewer Master Plan

MICHIGAN CITY What will the population and sanitary sewer statistics be in 40 years and how is that relevant to the Michigan City Sanitary District?

That was a question recently answered at a recent District board meeting after the board heard a presentation on the Lake Michigan Watershed Sanitary Sewer Master Plan by Cynthia L. Fort, director of environmental engineering with American Structurepoint, Inc.

The plan originated from the La Porte County Regional Sewer District. It is based on the countys topography, soils and demographics.

District Attorney James Meyer introduced the Sanitary Sewer Master Plan, saying any sewage collected in La Porte County will eventually have to come through the Michigan City District plant because communities and residents using septic tanks outside of Michigan City may want to tie into its sewer lines.

A trend based on the last 40 years shows that La Porte County could grow 1.1 percent every ten years, and the population will be over 114,000 people in 40 years, Fort said.

There are six areas the La Porte County Regional Sewer District could connect to Michigan City to provide wastewater treatment. They are at U.S. Highway. 421, Wozniak Road, Johnson Road, U.S. 35, U.S. 20 and County Road 1000 North.

Fort told the board that she suggested to La Porte County, that as it implements the plan, it would need to evaluate the costs to buy into the Michigan City treatment facility. She said examples of costs include connection fees.

There are ways to grow it organically, Fort said, noting that it would start with what works to how much it would cost to install, like eight-inch in diameter sewer lines and small lift stations, and ten years later, install larger sewers lines and lift stations.

City Engineer Charles Peller questioned what it would cost for the city to upgrade, a cost not included in the plan. The city would need to invest at least $50 million to connect with La Porte County Sewer District, Fort explained. It requires more lift stations, pumps, sewer systems and discharging treated sewage into Trail Creek, the Little Calumet and Galena water systems draining into Lake Michigan. It would be a final predicted amount for the county with connection fees estimated at $49,788,000 plus another $50 million, totaling at least $100 million overall.

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District discusses Sewer Master Plan