Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council hears multi‑million dollar plan as INDOT bridge work threatens local water, sewer lines
Summary
Town staff told the council INDOT’s planned State Road 13 bridge replacement (construction targeted for 2028) will affect a 10‑inch plastic water main and nearby force mains, potentially triggering a $6.5M–$10.8M lift‑station elimination project and about $800,000 in water‑main replacement costs; staff said INDOT coordination, SRF funding and rate changes will be needed.
Middlebury — Town staff told the council on March 2 that Indiana Department of Transportation plans to replace the State Road 13 bridge near Hoover Farm could directly affect the town’s water and sewer infrastructure and trigger a larger, multi‑year program of upgrades.
Staff member (S4) said INDOT anticipates construction in 2028 and plans to sequence the work so traffic remains open during construction, but that the project will impact a nearby 10‑inch plastic water main and an Antler lift‑station force main. "Those plastic water mains are just not good," S4 said, adding that replacing roughly 0.7 miles of water main could run about $800,000 based on preliminary estimates.
S4 described a broader lift‑station elimination study the town has completed and said taking the next step to eliminate multiple, aging lift stations could cost between $6.5 million and $10.8 million, including contingencies. "We have serious issues with hydrogen sulfide, eating away our lift stations," S4 said. "It eats anything and everything." Staff estimated a 30‑year lifecycle savings of roughly $13 million if several lift stations were removed, but said the figures include large uncertainties and a 40% contingency.
Council members pressed staff on funding and timing. S4 said the town will seek INDOT coordination, investigate State Revolving Fund (SRF) loans backed by wastewater income and evaluate rate adjustments to cover the town’s share. "If it does impact Hoover, then there's the 10% of your operating budget that we would be responsible for," S4 said, describing negotiations over which portions INDOT would fund.
The proposed lift‑station work would also change alignment for force mains and may require replacement of older structures (S4 said Hoover Lift Station likely dates to the 1970s). Staff noted hydrogen sulfide damage, frequent maintenance, and safety concerns in older 'can‑style' stations and said parts are increasingly difficult to obtain.
S4 said the town will continue coordination with INDOT — including a follow‑up meeting — and will assess SRF eligibility and the implications for wastewater rates. No formal action was taken; the council asked staff to pursue further coordination and reported funding options.
Provenance: transcript discussion began with S4's briefing on the bridge and lift‑station study (topic intro SEG 617) and continued through the staff discussion of funding pathways and INDOT coordination (topic finish SEG 933).
