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The Clay Township Regional Waste District is dedicated to providing the best sanitary services to its customers. The implementation of an Inflow/Infiltration (I/I) reduction program provides for inspection of and certification of compliance for all properties connected to the District’s sewer system. The program is a step towards a more efficient sewer system by reducing the amount of clear water that enters our system. Currently during rain events flows can increase 500%. It is possible for the inflow and infiltration of clean water to exceed the capacity of the pumping stations and cause a sewer overflow. Implementation of this program will ultimately mean less flow and reduce the possibility of sewer overflows.
The District will be contacting customers to conduct inspections in neighborhoods where high levels of inflow and infiltration have been observed. The inspection will verify that:
- Downspouts are not connected to the sanitary sewer
- The sump pump is not connected to the sanitary sewer
- Cleanout caps are in place and watertight
- No yard drains are connected to the sanitary sewer
- There are no sinkholes or other indications that the sewer lateral is leaking
If no deficiencies are found, the District will issue a certificate of compliance which will be good for five (5) years. If deficiencies are found, the property owner will be notified and must make corrections immediately. The property owner will need to schedule a follow up inspection. Although there is no fee for the initial inspection, there is a $100 re-inspection fee.
The program also requires that at the time of the sale of a property that the property is in compliance with the District’s I/I standards. If the property for sale does not already have a certificate of compliance on file with the District, the owner must notify the District and schedule an inspection. A sale of the property after five (5) years would require a new inspection and certification.
If a certificate of compliance is not issued within thirty (30) days of the change in ownership, or thirty (30) days following notice of scheduled inspection, a sewer surcharge of $20 per month will be assessed and added to the sewer bill. Such sewer surcharge shall be in addition to any and all other fines levied under existing ordinances.
The complete policy book can be downloaded at the bottom of the page. A copy can also be picked up at the District’s office at 10701 North College Avenue, Suite A, Indianapolis, 46280. The policy book was developed to help both property owners as well as experienced plumbers understand this program. This program is new to our service area but is based on similar programs being successfully operated in other sewer utilities. The District welcomes your comments on this program. The policy will be reviewed and revised as needed to reach our goal of reducing I/I.
If there are any questions concerning this policy, please do not hesitate to call the office at 844-9200.
Inflow and Infiltration (I/I)
INFLOW is rainwater that may enter the sanitary sewer system directly from downspouts, street storm systems, and sump pumps that pump directly to the sanitary sewer collection system.
INFILTRATION is rainwater, groundwater, or springs that enter the sanitary sewer collection system after filtering through the ground. Infiltration sources are generally cracks in sewage pipes or manholes, and building foundation drains illegally connected to the sanitary sewer.
Like most municipalities, the District has a combination of clear water I/I problems. Evidence of combined I/I is noticed at the District’s wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), where the sewage flow rate increases immediately during a storm event and continues at elevated conditions for several days after the storm event. The immediate flow increase is due to inflow and the continued elevated flow rate is due to infiltration.
Elevated flows in the collection system can exceed the sewer main’s capacity to get the sewage to the WWTP. When the sewer pipe capacities are exceeded, sewage may overflow at locations such as manholes, lift stations, and basements. These overflows and bypasses allow untreated sewage to bypass treatment, pollute the environment, and have the potential of human contact.
Over the years, the District has had to increase capacity in the collection and treatment systems to accommodate not only growth in the customer base but inflow and infiltration. In 2005 alone, over $4 million was spent on capacity upgrades at the pumping station located at Springmill Road and 106th Street.
Removing Inflow/Infiltration will…
Save sewage utility customers money. It costs the District approximately $2.04 to treat 1,000 gallons of sewage at the WWTP.
- Add capacity to the sanitary sewage collection and treatment systems.
- Help eliminate pollution to the environment.
- Help eliminate human contact with raw sewage.
- Help the District comply with State and Federal regulations.
- Downspouts and Sump Pumps
Downspouts and sump pumps illegally connected to the sanitary sewer system can be a huge source of clear water inflow. Therefore they cannot be connected to the sanitary sewer. Since Clay Township receives an average yearly rainfall of 36-inches, one residential house with 2,000 square feet of rooftop can contribute approximately 45,000 gallons of clear water to the sewage systems each year if their downspouts are connected. This equates to a yearly cost of approximately $92 per house to treat rain water.
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