Lapel takes next step for sewage plant expansion

Ken de la Bastide, The Herald Bulletin, Anderson, Ind.
·2 min read

Jun. 21—LAPEL — Town Council members have taken another step toward expanding Lapel's wastewater facility.

The council Thursday approved two resolutions in seeking a loan from the state's revolving loan fund.

One resolution was to authorize council President Chad Blake to sign for the application; the second was accepting the expansion project.

Nathan DeLisle with MS Consultants said last month a preliminary engineering report has been completed and the proposal is to increase the treatment capacity from 300,000 gallons per day to one million gallons per day.

He said the current plant is operating at 75% to 80% capacity.

DeLisle said the proposal is to expand the plant for operations for the next 20 years, which will include a lift station and forced main at County Road 400 South.

He said the maximum amount of the loan would be $43 million.

The town will submit an application with the Indiana Financing Authority for a low-interest loan at 3.4% to pay for the expansion.

DeLisle said the loan application is being reviewed by the state for consideration.

The work will include the rehabilitation of existing sewer lines with a liner installed in the pipes that were installed starting in the 1950s.

Blake said the town is currently reviewing its sewer rates with the intention of phasing in increases in the future.

OTHER BUSINESS

The town council denied a rezoning request from Wills Excavating for the construction of an office and outside storage.

The property is located to the north of the existing Crabby Apple business and was subject to a denied rezoning request for an automotive recycling operation.

Council members raised a concern that the gravel lot at the rear of the property is located over an aquifer.

"This is not a good fit for the space," Blake said. "It's not the right project for the property."

A request for a subdivision plat approval for 25 acres for the construction of five homes was continued.

The property is located on County Road 1000 West near the intersection with Indiana 38.

With only three of the five council members in attendance, the developer decided to table to request because it would have required an unanimous vote of the council.

Follow Ken de la Bastide on Twitter @KendelaBastide, or call 765-640-4863.