water

Although Microsoft isn't seeking a property tax break, St. Joseph County economic development director Bill Schalliol says the county is still asking the tech giant to pay for new water and sewer lines to spur growth in Granger beyond the data center.

The town of Lakeville on Thursday took down a water tower that was erected in 1962, making way for a larger tower that could accommodate growth in the town of 900 residents.

“It’s something that’s come before you since the 1990s, and now it sits in my lap, and I do feel responsible for not kicking that can down the road and making sure that a problem that’s not going away is addressed with today’s dollars and not tomorrow’s dollars,” Plan Director Mae Hope told council members.

Supporters Monday held a press event saying the data center would not raise electric rates or stress water resources, but critics countered Tuesday with their own event refuting those claims.

St. Joseph County two years ago hired a firm to identify existing Granger subdivisions with failing septic systems, but paused that work recently when its dispute with Mishawaka developed over who would serve the planned Microsoft data center with water and sewers.

The agreement gives the parties two months to map out a service area for Mishawaka water and sewers across a four-mile radius beyond city limits into Granger.

On Tuesday St. Joseph County Commissioners will consider an agreement to let Mishawaka extend water and sewers to Microsoft's proposed data center in Granger. The agreement also calls for the city to extend water and sewers to undeveloped parts of Granger, annexing where it can, including existing subdivisions with well and septic problems.

The city of Mishawaka rushed to stake its claim to serve the planned Microsoft data center when it learned that St. Joseph County officials, knowing Granger residents oppose being annexed by the city, plan for a private nearby water utility to instead serve the site.

The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission says it has up to 300 days to decide whether Mishawaka or St. Joseph County will be allowed to serve the planned data center with water and sewer lines.

The county will forward to Amazon invoices from contractors building new water and sewer infrastructure