Beacon July 2023

July 2023 THE BEACON Page 3A
Dearborn County Regional Sewer Board Considers Expansion Options
Continued from page 1A
the number of customers that
will be served and the financial
burden of subsidizing the
cost of a sewer system,
For years, the Indiana
Department of Environmental
Management (IDEM) has
been warning the DCRSD
about potentially failing septic
systems in certain areas of the
county. Emphasis has been
placed on fixing these areas
by creating more sewer systems
or facing severe fines.
The time has come for the
DCRSD to consider the best
way to grow while taking in
future expansion on both the
residential and commercial
levels. The current Board,
while holding a vast array of
experience, does not claim
to be experts in the best way
to accommodate sewer needs
expected in Dearborn County
over the next several decades.
To make an informed decision
as to what is best for the residents
of the county, the need
for outside consulting services
has become evident to the
Board. Unfortunately, the cost
of these services is not in the
Board’s budget. However,
the foresight of past administrations
has allowed for the
establishment of funds for the
Dearborn County Commissioners
to assist with costs
such as this. In recent sessions,
an interlocal agreement
was discussed, reviewed, and
approved by the Commissioners,
the DCRSD Board, and
the County Council to pay for
the consultation costs with the
Commissioners’ funds.
While a commitment has
been made to seek expert
advice from an outside
consultant concerning how
to proceed with sewer expansion,
a multitude of options
will be reviewed. These options
range from maintaining
the current path of operating
as a regional sewer district
relying on taxpayer dollars to
selling the current operations
to a private entity. Should
this option be chosen, the
engineering, construction,
maintenance, and administrative
costs would fall on that
private company rather than
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the taxpayers. A transfer in
ownership would be reviewed
and monitored by the Indiana
Department of Environmental
Management (IDEM) and the
Indiana Utility Regulatory
Commission (IURC).
According to the state
website (https://www.in.gov/
idem/), IDEM is to implement
federal and state regulations
to protect human health and
the environment while allowing
the environmentally
sound operations of industrial,
agricultural, commercial, and
governmental activities vital
to a prosperous economy.
The IURC oversees utilities
that operate in Indiana
by regulating various aspects
of a public utility’s business
This month’s item
What Is It?
Last month’s was
correctly identified by
a few readers. It was
submitted by Lawrenceburg
correspondent Debbie
Acasio.
“This is a pew clip in
churches used to hold your
hat, bulletin, or envelopes.”
The answer wass submitted
by some members of the
Napoleon Breakfast Club -
Last month’s item: a pew
clip
Carl & Rheadawn Peetz, Bill Borgman, Pat Hicks, and Roger
Linkmeyer.
Pete McDonough, Bright; Bayard Pelsor, Sunman; and Kevin
R. Cornett, West Harrison correctly identified the pew clip.
This month’s item will surely evoke a lot of memories.
Share your story as well as yoru guess! Please e-mail your
guess to editor@goBEACONnews.com by Wednesday,
June 21, 2023.
sponsored by Cornerstone Realty and Lutz Auctions
including rates, financing,
bonding, and other fiscal actions.
According to the IURC
website (https://www.in.gov/
iurc/about-us/about-the-iurc/),
The Commission has the
authority to initiate investigations
of all utilities’ rates and
practices. Currently, the rates
charged by the DCRSD are
monitored by the IURC, just
as they would be should the
sewer region become privately
owned.
Recently the LMH Utilities
Corp., serves the residents
of Bright, IN., was sold to a
private entity. The sale was
required to be approved by
IDEM, and the rates are being
monitored by IURC.
DCRSD president Steve Renihan
shared, “Our responsibility
is to evaluate all of the options
and choose the best path
for providing sewer services
to the unincorporated areas of
Dearborn County that are not
currently being served.”
DCRSD has two projects in
the engineering phase of construction-
the town of Guilford
and the area known as
Lake Dildear. The findings of
the consulting firm to be funded
by the interlocal agreement
will include the status of each
of these projects. Applications
for each of these projects have
been submitted to the committee
reviewing applications
for the use of the American
Rescue Plan (ARP) grant
money. These funds must be
obligated by Dec. 31, 2024,
and approved projects must be
completed by the end of 2026.
Options for The Guilford
and Lake Dildear projects
may include the use of a
private firm to assist with the
management of the projects
and may extend the management
and operation of the
systems. The result of this
scenario would be shared
compliance risk between the
DCRSD and a private company.
Should the DCRSD
choose to go one step further,
a regulated partnership could
be formed where a private
company would provide
upfront payment and ongoing
capital investment. That
company would assume all
of the risk. IDEM would be
involved with operational
oversight, and IURC will
review rates and services.
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