Call for Applicants: Board of Director Positions Available
X
GO
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... 

RSS
123456

Call for Applicants: Board of Director Positions Available

November 5, 2024: Our Board is Seeking Two Eligible Candidates

Dear Valued AIRW Member,

We are excited to announce that the Alliance of Indiana Rural Water is seeking to appoint two new members to our Board of Directors for At-Large seat openings. If you are passionate about supporting the water and wastewater industry and would like to help shape the future of the Alliance, we encourage you to apply.

 

Board Structure and Eligibility

The Board of Directors of the Alliance of Indiana Rural Water is composed of nine (9) members, structured to ensure statewide representation by dividing the state into quarters consisting of twenty-three (23) counties each. This includes four (4) regional directors and five (5) at-large directors. Each board member serves a three-year term, remaining active through the year their term expires.

Only individuals actively involved in the operation or management of member water and/or wastewater utilities—such as Managers or Certified Water/Wastewater System Operation Specialists—are eligible to serve on the Board. Additionally, only one (1) director from the same member system may serve on the Board of Directors at a time.

 

To be considered for one of these At-Large seats, please submit a letter of interest by Saturday, November 30. In your letter, please include:

  • Your current role and the name of your utility.
  • Your involvement with the Alliance of Indiana Rural Water.
  • Your interest in contributing to the Board of Directors, including what makes you a good fit for this role and how you can positively impact the organization.

This letter must be submitted to AIRW Executive Director, Kristin Bean, at kbean@inh2o.org by Saturday, November 30.

 

For a list of our current Board of Directors, please visit our website here. The Association By-Laws and Board Composition are also available for review from pages 24-28 of the 2024 AIRW Resource Directory.

 

Board Service Commitment

Candidates should be prepared to dedicate a significant amount of time to the issues affecting the association. Each position will be active through December 31, 2026, with the following expectations:

  • Participate in 80% or more of the Board of Directors meetings.
  • Attend the Annual Membership Meeting.
  • Attend either the Spring or Fall Conferences, or both if possible.
  • Attend at least one (1) NRWA Rural Water Rally during each three-year term.
  • Attend at least one (1) NRWA Annual Conference during each three-year term.

 

This is a unique opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to the rural water community in Indiana. We look forward to receiving your letter of interest and hearing about how you can bring your expertise to our Board.

 

If you have any questions or need further information, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

 

Best regards,

Tim Doersam

Board President

Alliance of Indiana Rural Water

Print