Repairs are needed for the water utility system of the Turkey Creek Regional Sewer District and it will take nearly $2 million to pay for the improvements.
During this morning’s county commissioners meeting, a water utility preliminary engineering study report was presented by Brian Houghton and Jeff Hersha of Jones and Henry Engineers. Houghton noted the water utility makes up a small portion of the sewer district and includes about 230 customers who live mainly in mobile homes at Lake Wawasee.
The engineering study revealed water quality and water pressure problems, as well as some of the water pipes being of the older cement asbestos type. Houghton said in some cases two or three homes are sharing a half-inch service line and the water pressure is very low. Also, iron has collected inside the pipes and caused problems with the water quality.
Houghton said it will take $1.7 million to make needed improvements, such as installing iron filters and replacing valves to the water utility system, but the sewer district does not want to incur that cost and therefore raise the water rates of customers to pay for the improvements. The $1.7 million divided by 230 comes out to nearly $7,400 per household.
A rural development grant has been considered, but it would mean raising the water rates by nearly 50 percent. Other alternatives have been considered such as used equipment.
The commissioners approved the engineering study, funded by a grant last fall, though there was some confusion as to what they needed to approve. It was clarified only the preliminary study document was being approved and not any specific plan of action or how improvements would be paid for.
Raymond Hartman was honored during the county commissioners meeting Tuesday as Veteran of the Month for July. From left are Brad Jackson, commissioner; Rich Maron, veteran services officer; Hartman, and Bob Conley and Ron Truex, commissioners.
Also during the commissioners meeting, Raymond Hartman was honored as Veteran of the Month for July. Hartman grew up in Oswego, graduated from Leesburg High School and entered the U.S. Army in 1943 during World War II. While in the Army he was a “human computer” who calculated settings for firing howitzers during battles. He has been a lifelong resident of Kosciusko County.
Hartman, now 89 years old, served during the Battle of the Bulge and in other battles until 1945. He retired in 1987 after 40 years as a lineman for Kosciusko REMC.
Other business included:
• Commissioners approved an annual grant that reimburses the county for 50 percent of the wages for the administrator and administrative assistant for the emergency management department.
• Commissioners approved a bid for $294,148 as recommended by Scott Tilden, county highway department superintendent, to purchase two 2015 Western Star model dump trucks from Stoops Freightliner in New Haven.