Diamond Associate Member Spotlight: Ziptility
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Ben Davis Conservancy District - WWTP Updates

Ben Davis Conservancy District - WWTP Updates

Letter from BDCD

For additional information, please visit: Ben Davis Conservancy District – Reliable and Affordable Sanitary Sewer Service (bdconservancy.com)

 

Citizens Energy Group issued a letter to freeholders throughout the Ben Davis Conservancy District. The district was established in 1958 with the Indiana Conservancy Act to provide sewer service to our community. However, the Conservancy only pipes sewage from properties to a treatment plant owned and operated by Citizens Energy Group.

Citizens Energy Group has raised its rates in recent years with a projected increase of 900% from 2017 to 2025. So when the Conservancy announced that it would build a treatment plant to save money, Citizens responded with a $10 million offer to acquire the Conservancy––amounting to a few thousand dollars per property owner.

The acquisition would cost residents more throughout the years, particularly elderly residents with fixed incomes and low-wage families, as Citizens Energy Group would recover its $10 million investment through rate increases for residents. This is not without evidence. For example, Citizens acquired the sewer system in Westfield as a for-profit company and attempted to raise rates by 25%.

Residents of the Ben Davis community are apprehensive about the offer. In a recent online survey, residents overwhelmingly supported construction 13 to 1. Further, MSD Wayne Township Schools and multiple organizations throughout the community have committed their support, including the Indiana Rural Water Alliance.

The Ben Davis Conservancy District advocates for a treatment plant, promising to control costs for residents. The proposed facility is a 4.0 MGD extended aeration treatment plant with an aerobic sludge digestion process.

Aerobic sludge digestion is a non-chemical process and uses oxygen for treatment. No noxious odors are produced as a result, such as methane or hydrogen sulfide. The plant will discharge into the Neeld Ditch with stringent effluent limits as determined by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM).

Take Their Survey

They want to know what you think. Should the Ben Davis Conservancy District construct a treatment plant? Use this link to complete the survey: Survey – Ben Davis Conservancy District (bdconservancy.com)

2022 Leadership Summit Recap

2022 Leadership Summit Recap

Monroe County Convention Center - Bloomington, IN

This year's Leadership Summit was on July 27 & 28 in beautiful Bloomington, Indiana.

2022 Operator Expos Recap

2022 Operator Expos Recap

Southern - Huntingburg, IN / Northern - Akron, IN

Our Southern Expo was held on May 19, in Huntingburg, Indiana and our Northern Expo held on May 26, in Akron, Indiana. Both Expos were both big successes!  We had over 250 people in attendance at each!

Alliance Secures 4.1 Million Dollars for Communities to Train the Next Generation

The Alliance of Indiana Rural Water, a local non-profit organization supporting Indiana’s rural water industry, has secured a total of 4.1 million dollars in reimbursement grants from the Indiana Finance Authority (IFA) for rural communities across the state to utilize in order to gain more licensed water and wastewater operators.

2022 Spring Conference Recap

2022 Spring Conference Recap

French Lick Resort - French Lick, Indiana

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the Spring Conference at the beautiful French Lick Resort in March!

2022 Award Recipients

2022 Award Recipients

The best of the best in the water and wastewater industry were honored at our 2022 Spring Conference.  Each recipient was presented with their award prior to the conference, then recognized throughout the event on a slideshow displaying on the event center's tv monitors throughout the venue! 

2021 Best Tasting Water in Indiana Named!

Auburn Water Department’s Water Named Best Tasting Water in Indiana during State Finals Competition!

Officials at the Alliance of Indiana Rural Water have found the best-tasting water in Indiana.  On October 20th, 2021, Auburn Water Department was announced as the winner of a state-wide competition to identify the tastiest rural water in the state...

2021 Award Recipients

2021 Award Recipients

The best of the best in the water and wastewater industry were honored at our 2021 Spring Conference.  Each recipient was presented with their award prior to the conference, then recognized throughout the event on a slideshow displaying on the event center's tv monitors throughout the venue! 

Conference Attendee Wins Trip to 2022 NRWA WaterPro Conference!

Conference Attendee Wins Trip to 2022 NRWA WaterPro Conference!

The Alliance of Indiana Rural Water teamed up with sponsors Covalen and Midwestern Engineers, Inc. to give away an all inclusive trip for two to the 2022 National Rural Water Association’s WaterPro Conference in National Harbor, Maryland.

2021 Water Taste Test Contest

We will be holding four "regional" taste tests in 2021. Winners from each region will advance to compete in the “Best Tasting Water in Indiana” at our annual Fall Conference, October 20th, 2021 in Fort Wayne, IN.

Read more and register... 

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Diamond Associate Member Spotlight: Ziptility

Leveraging GIS technology, asset management tools, and personalized consulting, Ziptility is dedicated to empowering small utilities.

Ziptiltiy: Diamond Associate Member Profile

In the complex realm of utility management, small and underserved utilities grapple with distinct hurdles that often go unnoticed by larger entities. Recognizing these unique challenges, Ziptility was established in 2018 with a mission to provide tailored solutions. Leveraging GIS technology, asset management tools, and personalized consulting, Ziptility is dedicated to empowering small utilities.

 

Tyler Henke, CEO, and Steven Naimark, CTO, identified a gap in the market: small utilities needed access to tools designed specifically for their needs. Thus, Ziptility was created to offer tools and services specific to these utilities' challenges.

 

Integrating new systems can often seem daunting, especially among those accustomed to traditional pen-and-paper methods. In a recent interview, Josh Hawley shed light on this and other unexpected aspects of their journey. "One of the biggest surprises for our users is how easy it is to navigate our system. Our training typically takes just an hour over Zoom. Afterward, users find themselves confidently utilizing every function of our setup."

 

Many members may recognize Josh from AIRW conferences and events. A former operator at Cordry Sweetwater Conservancy District, Josh is now a Utility Advocate and Solutions Consultant at Ziptility. Josh spent over seven years working as a certified operator and still holds his certifications despite making the switch to Ziptility. 

 

While user-friendliness is a cornerstone of Ziptility's success, it's not the only one. As they expanded their operations nationwide, serving over 120 customers across 20 states, Ziptility maintained a personal touch. With a compact team of just eight full-time staff members, including remote workers, Ziptility ensures personalized service for a diverse clientele. "Despite our physical presence primarily in Indiana, we make regular visits to clients across the state and beyond, ensuring that personal touch remains in our service," shared Josh.

 

Ziptility's commitment to customer success goes beyond traditional product assistance. While many companies offer software solutions, Ziptility goes the extra mile by providing personalized consultations, assistance with funding applications, and even on-site visits to troubleshoot issues. From Water Loss Audit Validations to Emergency Response Plans, Ziptility is ready to tackle a wide range of problems. They handle all software implementations and support in-house, with the overarching goal of helping utilities succeed above and beyond just the product.

 

The company's commitment to customer success is further evident in its involvement with industry events such as Alliance conferences. They also sponsor one-day training sessions through the Alliance. By actively participating in these events, Ziptility stays attuned to the evolving needs of small utilities and adapts its solutions accordingly. "We're not in this for the big municipalities or industrial giants," concluded Josh. "Our heart lies with the smaller communities, and that's where we'll continue to make a difference."

 

 

To get more information about Ziptiltiy and how they can help your utility please visit them at Home (ziptility.com)

 

 

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