Evansville Proposing New Water Treatment Plant
The city's current water treatment plant was built in the 1890s. (photo courtesy of former Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke)
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe city of Evansville is looking to build a new water treatment plant. Our partners at WEHT-TV report the proposed $177 million project from the Evansville Water and Sewer Utility will replace the existing plant, which was built in the 1890s.
Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke says the current plant, which has seen 10 additions since it first opened, currently produces about 23.5 million gallons of water daily, compared to 1.8 million when it opened.
In an interview with WEHT, the mayor said the timing is right for a new plant.
“I don’t think we want to be that generation that ignored the demand to replace a water treatment plant because in five years or 10 years or 12 years or whatever, we may be in a dire emergency and have to do it urgently,” said Winnecke. “The simple fact of the matter is this is a lengthy process; it’s probably going to take four to five years once rates begin to be adjusted and we can actually start engineering and construction.”
If the project is approved by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission, Winnecke says the highest monthly rate increase will be capped at $3.47 over the next five years.
“We’ve done our best working with our outside financial consultants and engineering firms to make sure that the increases are mitigated to the best extent possible,” the mayor said.
A public hearing for the project is slated for April 20. The city says a ruling from the IURC could come by March of next year.
You can watch Winnecke’s full interview with WEHT’s Brad Byrd by clicking here.