Fishing in a crystal clear stream or splashing in the water at the local beach are just two of the many blessings of clean, safe water. Clean water is essential to life as we know it.
Your wastewater treatment facility performs an invaluable environmental service by treating polluted water from homes, businesses and industries, and returning safe, clean water to the environment.
Under the streets of the Terre Haute Sanitary District, the Wastewater Utility manages a massive network of drains, old brick sewers, clay tile, newer PVC pipes, concrete structures, and pumping stations that all work together, quietly, out of sight, delivering more than 10 million gallons of raw wastewater to the City’s treatment plant every day. The treatment system removes a number of contaminates like organic material, dirt, fats, oils and greases, ammonia, nitrogen, and bacteria.
The Terre Haute Wastewater Utility employees work diligently around the clock, 7 days per week, 365 days per year, making sure that we are doing our best to keep the wastewater flowing through the collection and treatment system all while protecting the environment and our beautiful Wabash River.
You currently pay for clean water through utility bills and other fees, such as connection charges, as well as property, state and federal taxes. The average residential consumer in Terre Haute pays less than a dollar a day or less that a cup of coffee, for wastewater treatment.
What Does Your Community Get for Its Money?
- Construction of new treatment facilities, new sewer lines and upgrades to existing treatment facilities;
- Operations and Maintenance including personnel, laboratory analysis, facility/equipment maintenance and sewer system maintenance;
- Improved Cost Effectiveness through improvements in design and process control of treatment facilities;
- Valuable products including biosolids that can be used as fertilizer for area farmers;
- Added benefits including more economic development, increased property values, improved public health, a cleaner environment and the ability to preserve our precious water resources for future generations.
The City of Terre Haute Wastewater Utility is a Class IV activated sludge wastewater treatment plant located along the Wabash River, east of State Road 63 and south of Interstate 70. It was originally constructed and put into operation in 1963.
The collection system is comprised of more than 500 miles of sewer line and over 8,000 storm structures with one Wet Weather Treatment Facility.
The Terre Haute Wastewater Utility has seven departments, each with a special set of duties that fit together to make our Utility operate smoothly.
Operations
The Operations Department is responsible for process control within the treatment facility. The treatment plant consists of a headworks facility, anoxic and aeration tanks, clarification, ultraviolet disinfection and sludge treatment processes.
Operators are stationed at the plant 24 hours per day so they can provide constant monitoring and adjustments to the facility’s screens, pumps, mixers, and ultraviolet disinfection system. They collect samples from various areas of the plant and adjust the system accordingly so we continue to provide the optimal environment for the wastewater microbes to break down the waste and produce the cleanest effluent possible before the water reaches the Wabash River.
Laboratory
The Wastewater Utility Laboratory ensures that the wastewater treatment plant is operating within the limitations set forth in our regulatory permits. Samples of the incoming and outgoing wastewater are collected for laboratory analysis 24-hours per day, 7 days per week. The facility’s administration prepares monthly compliance reports to the State.
Collections
The Collections Department operates two vacuum trucks. The trucks are used to clean the sewer lines and remove blockages caused by tree roots, grease, excessive trash, baby wipes or other items. Flushing these items down the drain can restrict the flow of wastewater and cause overflows or backups into people’s homes and basements. They use a robotic camera inspect the sewer for cracks, blockages or illegal connections.
An inlet cleaning crew is out in the sewer service area 5 days per week working to remove grass clippings, leaves and other debris from the curb drains on the city streets so the roadways can drain during rain events.
Construction
The Construction Department operates heavy equipment to uncover sewer lines and force mains to make necessary repairs and install new sewers and lateral lines. They also repair and install curb drain inlets, drywells and manholes.
Maintenance
The Maintenance crew is responsible for general facility maintenance and HVAC services in addition to the upkeep and repair of the mechanics that keep the wastewater flowing through all of the City’s sewer lines and the treatment plant. They repair or replace pumps, screens, valves, actuators, mixers, alarms and sensors, control panels, blowers, motors, overhead hoists and cranes. They make sure our backup generators are ready for action to prevent any interruption of sewer services in the event of a power outage.
Auto Garage
The City of Terre Haute Wastewater Utility has four Auto Garage employees that keep the Wastewater Utility vehicles and equipment in good working order while providing maintenance service to almost 300 other vehicles and equipment owned by other City departments including City Hall, Terre Haute Police Department, Terre Haute Parks & Recreation and the Street & Transit Department.
Building & Grounds
Employees in our Building and Grounds Department keep our supplies stocked, our vehicles fueled and all of our properties accessible and clean. Not only do they maintain all of the buildings in the plant and nearly 100 satellite locations throughout the sanitary district, they provide vegetation control on the 3rd Street overpass and the I-70 & US 41 intersection. They also provide snow and ice removal for the treatment plant and the sidewalks of City Hall in the winter months.
Regulatory Oversite
The US Environmental Protection Agency and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management regulate wastewater discharges by way of the Federal Clean Water Act, the Code of Federal Regulations, and the Indiana Administrative Code.
The City of Terre Haute is one of 47 Pretreatment Cities in Indiana that run federally delegated local pretreatment programs. The Terre Haute Wastewater Utility’s Pretreatment Department is responsible for implementation, oversight and enforcement of wastewater regulations on a local level. The program is designed to protect the treatment system and reduce pollutants levels discharged by industries and other nondomestic wastewater sources into municipal sewer systems and into the environment. We develop local limits for discharges in the Sewer Use Ordinance and perform permitting, administrative, and enforcement tasks.
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City of Terre Haute Wastewater Utility |