Regulation

Under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Clean Water Act, Indianapolis and other combined sewer communities must develop plans to reduce these overflows to protect human health and the environment. Ignoring these problems makes it more difficult to attract new businesses, jobs and residents to our world-class city. To address CSOs, Citizens is implementing a $2 billion Long Term Control Plan that is required to be completed by 2025 under a consent decree with the EPA and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM).

Many of the investments we are planning are mandated under our Consent Decree with the federal government or otherwise required by federal or state laws. Higher wastewater rates will be necessary over the next decade to finance the more than $2 billion in investments required to ensure safe drinking water, system reliability and protection of public health and the environment.

Consent Decree Schedule

As shown in the graphic above, both the Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEP) and Sanitary Sewer Discharge (SSD) programs have been completed with the SSD finishing two years ahead of schedule. These projects are already having a positive impact on water quality and system reliability. 

Our Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Program is currently ahead of schedule. Upon full implementation, the CSO Control Measures are expected to result in:

• At least 95 percent capture and up to 4 CSO events on the White River, Pleasant Run, Pogues Run and Eagle Creek in a typical year

• 97 percent capture and up to two CSO events on Fall Creek in a typical year

Also included are upgrades to Belmont and Southport Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plants to maintain compliance with current National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit.

Long Term Control Plan