SSK hopes to avoid installing surge tank

The Regional Sewer District is keeping the pressure on SSK Communities and its Berkshire plant, east of New Salisbury. SSK wants to renegotiate its compliance with the Indiana Dept. of Environmental Management, according to Gary Davis, Regional Sewer District board member.
The district expects IDEM to require SSK to put in a surge tank as originally stated; the district will not accept Berkshire without the tank. Other than the tank, the RSD is positive about the progress made by the plant.
‘It seems to be moving forward at a decent rate,’ said Bob Woosley of Heritage Engineering.
The board expressed concern over the additional flow that will be sent to Berkshire.
‘We’re going to quadruple the flow; the same limits (IDEM) won’t apply,’ said Fred Cammack, another board member.
The subcommittee working on the Berkshire plant will receive some wanted advice. Jim Rowe, of the Madison County sewer district, will report problems and things he would do different contractually to Woosley. Madison recently completed a project similar to the one the Harrison County district is undertaking.
Darrell Stewart, a Harrison County resident, asked the board how much the rate will go up if the Berkshire plant is controlled by the Regional Sewer District. Tucker informed Stewart that they need to get public support and go through the commissioners to get help.
‘We need to get the county to help defer costs,’ said Tucker.
In other district news, the sewer rates for the new Harrison County Hospital in Corydon are being finalized. Scott Miller came before the district representing Umbaugh on Wednesday morning, Sept. 19. Umbaugh is currently working on the sewer rates for the hospital.
Woosley said he thinks Miller’s estimates are on target for at least the first couple of years of operation.
The rates were just a preliminary outline to be considered, including $58,000 annually for operating the system at the hospital. The system will include three meters, two for the hospital building and another for the medical office building. The only rate Umbaugh lacks is the charge from Ramsey Water Co. The district hopes to have the rates finalized by late October or early November.
‘By the first of November, we should have an ordinance,’ said Tom Tucker, president of the Regional Sewer District board. They would like to have the public hearing to introduce the rates at their Nov. 7 meeting.
‘We need to look at these rates again in a year,’ Tucker said, ‘We need to continually review the rates.’
Woosley expects the hospital to began recording flow in late November with the opening scheduled for the first of the year. The pumps are expected to be in Nov. 2 or 20, according to Woosley.
The idea of setting aside some money for possible improvements in the future was also discussed.
‘Start putting something aside to take care of those things when they start to happen,’ Miller said, speaking of potential repairs and improvements to the sewage system in the future.
Umbaugh and the board discussed ways to recover funds spent throughout the hospital’s sewer process. Many of the expenses were made by the hospital, not the sewer district.
The board discussed rates for residents or entities hooking on to the system in the future.
‘The rates are going to have to be fair and equitable to all your customers, down the line,’ Miller continued. ‘My recommendation is one rate structure for anyone, whenever they hook on.’
The board was to meet this morning (Wednesday) at 8:30 at the courthouse.
The meeting with the Indiana Water Pollution Control Board is set for Wednesday, Nov. 14. The time and location had not been determined yesterday.