Lake Station plans higher sewage rates to comply with IDEM orders

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Updated: March 19, 2012 8:06AM

LAKE STATION — Just two weeks after getting hit with a 28 percent water rate increase, residents are facing increases inwhat they pay for sewage disposal.

The city’s five-member Sanitary District, all appointees of Mayor Keith Soderquist, passed a resolution to tack on a monthly $7.09 flat fee and increase rates by 23 cents from $5.70 to $5.93 per 1,000 gallons of water used.

While a public hearing was held Thursday, the resolution still must go before the City Council.

Earlier this month, the Post-Tribune reported the water rate increase was 35 percent but should have reported it was 28 percent.

The money is needed to comply with Indiana Department of Environmental Management orders from 2008 to improve the city’s aging sewers, Soderquist said.

“We’re not even close to complying with (IDEM orders), and we feel their patience is being stepped on,” he said. “We knew we had a lot of catch-up work to do.”

The city has taken steps toward addressing IDEM’s concerns, Soderquist said, including the purchase of a new backhoe and camera truck used to inspect the sewers.

The city has also dedicated five workers to managing the sewers full-time.

While rate increases “are never an attractive issue going into an election,” politics did not motivate waiting until three months after his re-election, Soderquist said. The decision was the Sanitary District’s and there were other factors, he said.

“With any type of increase, you’re going to find negativity,” Soderquist said. “But, I know this (sewer rate increase) is the responsible thing to do.”

Part of the delay was awaiting the outcome of a failed lawsuit for about $500,000 against New Chicago to get that town to pay a portion of the judgment Lake Station owed to the Gary Sanitary District, the final destination for the city’s waste.

Also, GSD rates have increased, costing Lake Station about $70,000 a month, with a one-time spike last year up to $130,000, and the city cannot absorb the costs without passing them on, Soderquist said.

The mayor also said he it was important to wait until after the elections to make plans for the next four years, including rate increases to support infrastructure improvements.

“The timing is when the new mayor is sworn in on Jan. 1, he or she has to put in a plan for the next four years,” Soderquist said.

“This is part of the plan to get the city back on track.”