A full crowd packs the North Webster Community Center on Saturday morning, Nov. 15, as the Tippecanoe and Chapman Regional Sewer District hosts a public information meeting on the East Webster sewer project. Photos by Maksym Hart.

By Maksym Hart
InkFreeNews

NORTH WEBSTER — A crowd filled the North Webster Community Center 9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 15 as Webster Lake residents received their most detailed update yet on the Tippecanoe and Chapman Regional Sewer District’s planned East Webster sewer expansion.

The 9 a.m. public information meeting, led by district engineer Steve Henschen of Jones Petrie Rafinski, walked property owners through the construction methods, grinder station placements, easement needs, project schedule and expected monthly rates.

The meeting also included a question-and-answer segment, with many residents carrying easement packets to be notarized following the presentation.

Design, Contractor Selection And Project Timeline

Henschen confirmed that Selge Construction, the firm selected through the district’s competitive Build-Operate-Transfer process, will submit final pricing within two weeks. The board is expected to make a tentative decision on moving forward at its 6:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 8 meeting, followed by a formal public hearing on both the BOT contract and proposed rates in early January.

“We’re going to have a real good idea in the next two weeks about our final funding,” Henschen said, noting design is on track for completion in December.

The timeline outlined on was as follows:

• December 2025 – Final design completed.
• Early January 2026 – Construction permits submitted; rate ordinance introduced Monday,
  Jan. 12.
• February 2026 – Formal public hearing on proposed rates.
• March 2026 – Financing closing with the State Revolving Fund.
• Summer 2026 – Construction begins.
• May–June 2027 – Construction completion.
• June 2027 – Earliest customer connections.

“It doesn’t happen the day after closing,” Henschen said. “Equipment and material must be ordered, and that can take three months or longer.”

Why the Project Uses Low-Pressure Sewer

Much of the presentation focused on explaining the low-pressure sewer system that will serve the 230-property East Webster service area.

Unlike the vacuum system used on the south and east sides of Webster Lake, the new system uses grinder stations that pump wastewater through small-diameter force mains.

“Vacuum systems are nice systems, but they are very costly to install,” Henschen said. “With the terrain we have to cover here, a lot of hills, the vacuum system doesn’t work that great.”

Grinder Stations, Easements

Each home, or pair of neighboring homes in shared cases, will receive a grinder station installed as part of the project. Henschen showed diagrams and photos of the units, explaining installation, restoration, alarms, and how the district will maintain them.

While the district prefers installing the stations near the road for ease of access, final placement will depend on the home’s plumbing elevations.

“We want to make sure we’re not forcing you to pump sewage uphill,” Henschen said. “We will meet with every property owner individually to choose the best location.”

Temporary construction easements will allow crews to enter properties during installation, while a permanent 15-foot-wide utility easement will remain over the lateral and station footprint. Shared stations reduce the easement width to 7.5 feet on each property line and can significantly lower project costs.

Rates, Costs And Billing

Steve Henschen, engineer with Jones Petrie Rafinski, details grinder station placement, easements and project timeliens during Saturday, Nov. 15’s East Webster public information meeting.

While exact monthly sewer bills cannot be calculated until pricing is finalized next month, Henschen said current projections place the full rate between $110 and $120 per month.

That figure includes treatment costs from the town of North Webster, which will receive combined flows from both East Webster and the Knapp Lake Conservancy District through a joint force main.

“SRF has already told us they have committed a $5 million grant for us,” Henschen said. “But nothing is final until we sign at closing.”

An interim construction rate will begin once the contractor mobilizes on site in 2026, applying to all customers regardless of when they connect.

Septic Abandonment And Exemptions

Henschen explained the state-allowed septic exemption process applies only if a system meets strict documentation and inspection requirements. “In the vast majority of cases, the answer will be yes, you will have to connect,” he said. “Indiana Code is written very strongly in favor of septic elimination projects.”

Exemptions last 10 years, with two possible five-year extensions, but any system failure during that period requires immediate connection, and the homeowner would then pay full cost for the grinder station, estimated at $25,000 or more in future dollars.

Next Steps

District representatives remained after the meeting to answer questions and assist with easement paperwork. Henschen encouraged residents to schedule site visits early.

“There’s nothing worse than getting a grinder station installed and then hearing, ‘That’s not where I wanted it,’” he said.

The district board will next meet at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 8 at the North Webster Community Center, 301 N. Main St. Suite 121, North Webster.

A map of the proposed East Webster service area, force main routing and grinder locations that will be used in the district’s low-pressure sewer system. The project is scheduled to begin construction in summer 2026.