Marshall County officials are asking the state to dissolve the county’s sewer district.
The county council voted six-to-one Wednesday to ask the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to dissolve the Marshall County Regional Sewer District. A similar resolution was recently passed by the county commissioners.
The district was established to expand sewer service into parts of the county currently using septic systems. But residents and elected officials are concerned about the cost to homeowners. Initial estimates put the potential monthly bill below $100, but other estimates suggest it could be more than $200.
Council President Tim Harman felt it would be cheaper for homeowners to replace their septic systems than to build new sewers. "I don’t see this project as being financially viable going forward," Harman said. "It just makes no sense to me whatsoever."
Some also worry that federal grant funding isn’t as easy to get as previously thought, but proponents argue that grant funding shouldn’t be expected until the project is closer to construction.
Resident Serena Anderson felt that relying on grants was too risky. “One thing you don’t do: you do not gamble on people’s livelihoods, and that’s what this project is: a gamble,” Anderson told council members.
The sewer project was seen as a way to maintain health and protect waterways. A big concern is homes on small lots with aging septic systems and poor soil conditions.
