Crown Point council approves sewer rate increases, advances multiyear wastewater project after public hearing

Crown Point — The City Council on Monday, March 3 approved an ordinance increasing monthly sewer rates and voted to proceed with a multi‑phase wastewater plan meant to address decades‑old combined‑sewer overflows and future growth.

City Engineer Al Stong of Commonwealth Engineers told the council the plan is a four‑phase approach that includes downtown conveyance work, wet‑weather improvements at the existing plant and a new Southeast Wastewater Treatment Plant with an initial 2.4‑million‑gallons‑per‑day (MGD) module.

The action follows a formal public hearing on the sewer ordinance, during which residents raised transparency concerns about the project’s timing and potential to enable large new development outside the city’s currently mapped service area.

The council’s action

Ordinance 2025‑01‑02, amending monthly sewer rates, was adopted after public comment and staff presentations. The roll call in the record shows yes votes from Scott Ward, Zach Ryan, Andrew Terrence, Bob Clemens, Laura Sarmuth and Chad Jeffrey; the motion passed.

Why it matters

The city is under a state judicial order to reduce combined‑sewer overflows, and engineers said the package of projects is designed to meet compliance…