Marshall County RSD says pump-station site secured; engineers warn monthly customer rates likely to rise

During a meeting of the Marshall County Regional Sewer District, district consultants reported that they have tentatively secured a location for Pump Station 1 and that updated construction and financing estimates make holding monthly customer rates below $100 unlikely.

A JPR engineer (name not specified) told the board that he had a “very, very positive” conversation with a landowner and is confident a site for Pump Station 1 is secured but that the parties still must complete a closing and final paperwork. The consultant said more details will be provided next month.

The engineer said recent bid results from a similar two-phase project in La Porte County — around Hudson Lake and Saucony Lake — showed higher costs than expected and were the catalyst for rechecking the district—s preliminary cost estimate for PSA 1. “Sitting here today under $100 a month doesn't seem in line with the current economic reality of 2025,” the engineer said. He noted construction cost inflation of about 8% in 2021 and 12% in 2022 and said local labor rates north toward the Chicago area are higher than in Marshall County.

Why it matters: higher per-customer rates and reduced availability of large grants change project financing…