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Saint Paul officials say sewer system limits prevent hookup for planned Tiger Truck Stop
Summary
Town officials told a Tiger Truck Stop representative they could not approve new sewer hookups because the town is under an IDEM early‑warning capacity ban; council also heard multiple water and sewer infrastructure concerns, including excess flow at a lift station and aging hydrants.
Council President Tim Ray told a representative of Tiger Truck Stop that the town cannot permit new sewer hookups while it remains under an Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) early‑warning ban on sewer capacity.
The statement came during the Town of Saint Paul council meeting on July 1, when Water/Sewer Operator Les Day updated the council on a series of operational issues. Day said the plant meter that was recently replaced "appears to be reading more accurately," but recommended semiannual verification testing at roughly $300 per test to make sure readings remain correct. He said the Franklin Street lift station is receiving excess flow from an undetermined source and recommended obtaining quotes to televise affected sewer lines to locate the source.
Day also reported one hydrant — installed in 1946 — is effectively unserviceable because replacement parts are no longer available, and that a new hydrant and installation would likely cost about $3,500. He recommended purchasing a diffuser to measure hydrant flow during flushing and color‑coding hydrant caps to show relative pressure for fire response.
Those infrastructure constraints factored into the council’s response to the Tiger Truck Stop request. Tim Ray said the town is "still not in a position to allow anyone to build and add to our sewer system," citing the early‑warning ban and limited capacity. No connection or approval was granted.
Les Day also noted other maintenance issues that bear on capacity and billing: Comcast had punctured a sewer line on First Street (which has since been repaired), about 39 meters had to be read manually this month, and staff will inspect meter pits and antennas after recent rains to determine whether pits are flooding and causing read failures. Day said he is working with consultant staff (identified in the minutes as Jill) on a rate study for water billing and will keep the council informed of progress.
The council did not take any formal vote to change sewer policy during the meeting; the record shows the town declined to accept the new hookup request while under the IDEM early‑warning restrictions. The council asked staff to continue pursuing line televising quotes, hydrant replacement estimates and meter testing to support short‑term operations and future rate decisions.
