Water Sector News
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Federal funds to help Lake County replace septic systems with sanitary sewers
CROWN POINT — Lake County is preparing to invest a large share of its $94 million in federal American Rescue Plan funds into connecting more than a thousand homes and businesses onto sanitary sewers and getting them off leaking, failing septic systems.
The Lake County Commissioners agreed in principle Wednesday to begin moving forward with a four-year sewerage plan that aims to reduce the amount of E. coli and other harmful bacteria that tests show are increasingly popping up in ditches and other county waterways.
The primary area of focus is an unincorporated area southwest of Gary bounded by Ridge Road on north, Main Street on the south, Colfax Street on the west, and Cleveland Street (Ind. 55) on the east.
Sam Weber, senior project manager at VS Engineering, told the commissioners that area has recorded 324 septic system complaints since 1991, and elevated levels of E. coli have been found in the Cady Marsh Ditch that runs through the area just north of 45th Street.