The Beech Grove City Council heard a detailed presentation on the city’s aging sewer system last Monday night, as engineers warned that infiltration of groundwater and rainwater is driving up treatment costs, and city officials emphasized the urgent need to raise sewer rates (Photo Credit: Carter’s My Plumber).
An engineer from Wessler Engineering said the city is facing significant costs in part because of excess water entering the sanitary sewer system, also known as infiltration and inflow (I&I).
“In April 2025, 139 million gallons of flow came into the system because of all that heavy rain,” he said. “The average flow for comparison in 2024 was 60 million gallons a month.”
The engineer noted that the extra flow cost the city approximately $120,000 last month alone.
“We estimate last month you’re paying an extra $120,000 because of the water that got into the system,” he said.
According to the engineer, over the past five years, Beech Grove has spent $2,780,000 on rehabilitation and maintenance of the sewer system, averaging about $556,000 a year. Despite these investments, large sections of the system have not been assessed, particularly in the southern portion of the city, where pipes dating from the 1960s and 1970s may soon reach the end of their useful life.
Brant also showed photographic evidence from smoke testing that revealed how private property connections such as roof downspouts and foundation drains are contributing to the problem.
“When it rains, all that water is getting into the sanitary sewer,” he said, pointing to one image.
Another picture showed a foundation drain directly tied into the system.
“Again, when it rains, it gets into the ground and it gets into this primitive drainage system that ends up in the sewer”.
Treasurer Samantha Stratton echoed his urgency.
“It is imperative that we start collecting more for sewer bills, as is necessary to keep a healthy fund balance in case of any emergency repairs of the system.”
Stratton compared the current $37 flat residential sewer rate with nearby municipalities.
“If the ordinance passed [in 2022], our current rate for 2025 would be $46.75 for residential,” she said. “If this change had been implemented, we would have over $1.3 million in the fund rather than our current balance of $377,319.02”.
Looking ahead, she warned that the city could spend almost $800,000 by April of 2026 if rainfall patterns continue as they have and rates are not increased.
City officials also discussed rate increases in nearby cities, including Franklin, which recently increased their sewer rate to $54.03 per month. They also mentioned that Greenwood charges $62.27, Greenfield charges $57.87 and Martinsville charges $52.41.
The council will consider a new ordinance at its June meeting.
“Even if the Council ultimately chooses to sell the utility,” Stratton said, “That is a months-long process and sewer rates must be raised in the interim.”