Indiana Honored as NRWA's State Association of the Year!
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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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Indiana Honored as NRWA's State Association of the Year!

Alliance of Indiana Rural Water receives prestigious award presented by National Rural Water Association during annual WaterPro Conference

Alliance of Indiana Rural Water Honored as 2024 State Association of the Year at National Conference

Savannah, Georgia — The Alliance of Indiana Rural Water (AIRW) is proud to announce that it has been named the 2024 State Association of the Year by the National Rural Water Association (NRWA) at this year’s WaterPro Conference, held in Savannah, Georgia. This prestigious award recognizes the Alliance's outstanding dedication and exceptional service to rural communities throughout Indiana, setting a benchmark of excellence among industry peers and state affiliates nationwide.

The State Association of the Year award is the most coveted honor among NRWA’s annual Awards of Excellence, which includes categories for Outstanding Achievement in Training, On-Site Technical Assistance, Communications, Publications and Public Relations, Legislative Initiatives, and Member Services. This award is reserved for the State Rural Water Association that demonstrates the most significant impact across these categories. Each year, a committee meticulously selects the state association winners, recognizing those that set the highest standards of performance, progress, and commitment to their members and communities.

Kristin Bean, Executive Director of the Alliance of Indiana Rural Water, expressed deep appreciation for this recognition: "This incredible honor reflects the dedication of our entire association. The Alliance is more than just a name; it is our people who make it extraordinary. I’d like to extend sincere appreciation to our Board of Directors for their commitment and guidance, our phenomenal staff for their hard work each day, and our members and partners for their continued trust and support. This award belongs to all of us, a testament to our collective commitment to serving Indiana’s rural communities and ensuring water and wastewater operators have the resources they need to ensure safe, clean water for all Hoosiers.”

 

About the Alliance of Indiana Rural Water:

The Alliance of Indiana Rural Water is a non-profit membership association of over 1,000 water and wastewater systems and industry professionals. AIRW is dedicated to supporting rural and small communities across Indiana through training, technical assistance, and advocacy. For over four decades, the Alliance has empowered local water and wastewater utilities with the tools, knowledge, and resources they need to ensure safe, reliable, and sustainable water services for their communities. The Alliance is Indiana’s representative to the National Rural Water Association, the nation’s largest utility membership with over 31,000 utility system members. NRWA provides vital assistance through its affiliated State Rural Water Associations.

For More Information:

For additional information about the Alliance of Indiana Rural Water and its ongoing initiatives, please visit www.inh2o.org or contact our office at alliance@inh2o.org.

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