Woolpert Study for Consolidating Wastewater Systems for DCRSD

Woolpert Study for Consolidating Wastewater Systems for DCRSD

Woolpert presented their report to the public at a special DCRSD meeting 25 January 2007 at 7 PM. This is a summary of
points of interest in that report.

[NOTE: Woolpert is one of a select group of consultants who have NOT shown up on any campaign finance sheets
for local candidates. This is at least one indication that this company was chosen without any monetary strings to local officials.
Other consultants who have contributed to local candidates in the past include: The Vieste report (Vieste, Level 5 Engineering, PSA Dewberry), the financial firm for the capital plan (London Witte), the jail study (RQAW), the courthouse renovation (Siemens), the EMS building design plan (DLZ), and county lobbyists (Barnes and Thornburgh, etc), have all shown up on various political candidate finance forms as contributors. At least Woolpert’s selection as a consultant seems to have occurred without conflict of interest.
There are issues with the projections of development based on master plan maps that were still in draft phases. The DCRSD Board also seemed to be steering this plan away from some possibly more logical and cost effective ways to handle some of these areas. This may account for the cost of the study and also the selection of certain alternatives or the lack of consideration given to other options at all, particularly along the Guilford plan area and the High Ridge area.]

Though its title indicates consolidation was studied, it does not recommend consolidation in the report. Woolpert studied several alternatives on some areas and less on others. They made a final recommendation on each of the 4 areas needing or eventually needing sewers. Total cost of the study was $170,000.
[NOTE: Woolpert Study was to be finished in Sept 2006. The NW Quadrant was added to the study.]

Page 1 of the report says: “County officials stated the overriding goal for the project was to develop a centralized public sewer agency that would have authority, financial capability, and staff to plan, operate, and administer public wastewater facilities throughout Dearborn County.”

The 3 main updated goals of the study were listed on page 3:
1. Provide wastewater collection and treatment where there are public health concerns and where water quality is impaired.
2. Accommodate economic development, providing wastewater collection and treatment facilities for proposed and planned areas of commercial development.
3. Document the advantages and disadvantages of administrative and physical consolidation of existing sewer districts.

Woolpert lists existing sewer treatment areas and their capacities and problems. They recognized that the existing plants probably could not be physically consolidated.

The 4 areas studied were High Ridge Estates, Guilford, the W Harrison TIF, and the NW Quadrant.

Because of topography issues (hilly terrain) some type of pressurized system is necessary in many areas. This would be a localized system of small gravity sewers flowing into a pump station or a grinder pump/pressure sewer system. Lifetime costs and capital costs were both considered in the evaluation.

Woolpert used the Master Plan’s guiding principles, picking out the ones that were noteworthy for their study. They also used the existing land use map. (see pages 7 and 8)
The projection of future land use however was illustrated with a map from the Master Plan Advisory Committee work that is not final and has not been commented upon by the public. Page 9 notes: “ that this map “became a critical guide for projecting the locations of future development and the need for future wastewater systems service areas.”
Woolpert then suggested a modified development pattern shown on their map in Appendix B.

Woolpert went on to get population projections by township for 2020 and 2030 but it is unclear why the percentages vary so widely between townships. Jackson Township has the highest population growth rates at 3% per year from 2000-2020 and 2% per year from 2020-2030. [NOTE: Are they figuring increased people due to increased commercial/industrial growth?] Logan and Miller are the next highest percentages.

Woolpert’s maps left a large area out of the sewer business – Manchester Township and parts of York and Hogan predominantly. They are apparently slated for low density and Ag.

The 3 TIF districts have the following amounts of available acreage listed in the report:
Aurora TIF has 725 acres open for FUTURE industrial use.
W. Harrison TIF has about 300 acres available to develop.
The St. Leon TIF- acreage available not listed.
The NW Quadrant has over 5000 acres with about 4000 developable.

[NOTE: There may be some issues with IDEM allowing these WWTP along Tanner’s Creek where flow rates at various times of the year might be a significant issue with pollution.]

The final Wastewater system capital projects recommendations and their costs are:
1. High Ridge Estates and US 50 Corridor conveyed to a NEW local treatment plant- $2,626,700
2. Guilford Community and new REGIONAL treatment plant at SR1 and Pribble- $12,941,000
3. W Harrison TIF- feed to St. Leon plant - $1,370,000
4. NW Quadrant- plant at Trackville and SR46 - $9,750,000
TOTAL Capital costs (NOT operating costs)- $26,688,400

Sewer rate and tap in figures across the county vary widely and are shown in a chart on page 36 of the report.

Financing options mentioned include:
Development Block Grants
Rural Development Program
Federal earmarking of projects on Congressional legislation, State of IN revolving loan program for WWTP improvement projects
Grants or loans from local entities.

There are 60 days to comment on this report (60 days from 25 January) Comments should be addressed to the DCRSD in care of Doug Baer at the Health Dept at the County Adm Bldg, 215 West High Street, Lawrenceburg IN, 47025. Reports are available in the county libraries for viewing, and copies (both digital and hard copy) can be obtained at the DCRSD office or through the county administrator, Bryan Messmore.

Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township