EVANSVILLE — The city will delay shutting down the receiving station for septic waste and fats, oils and grease amid public outcry from waste haulers and public health professionals.
The station was set to close Jan. 1. It will now close July 1.
According to the Evansville Water and Sewer Utility, there had been discussion with local haulers about the closure and the need for more time to prepare.
“We value the haulers as important partners in protecting public health and the environment,” Vic Kelson, executive director of EWSU stated. “Our team has been working with them since August, and we’ll continue to do so. This extension gives everyone more time to prepare, while we stay committed to long-term solutions that keep our wastewater system reliable, efficient, and sustainable.”
Vanderburgh County Commission President Justin Elpers had a meeting with Mayor Stephanie Terry and Evansville Water and Sewer Executive Director Vic Kelson Monday to discuss the planned closure.
“I appreciate the mayor blocking off some time to meet on this matter,” he told the Courier & Press Tuesday morning. “The decision to pivot and allow more time for further discussion on the future of this facility is important.”
During an EWSU board meeting last week, local waste haulers expressed dismay in both the closure of the facility and the communication on the issue.
James Whitman, owner and operator of Tri-State Grease and Septic Pumping Inc., said his company received a letter about EWSU no longer accepting fats, oil and grease just a week ago. That’s only 30 days of notice for something that will be a drastic change for his business, and the city, he said.
“There’s probably 800 grease traps in Vanderburgh County that are going to be affected by this. This has to be trucked to a neighboring state or, you know, hours away,” Whitman said. “It’s probably going to triple the cost on some of these small businesses. I feel like it’s going to shut them down, some of them.”
Indiana Code sets out laws and regulations for dumping of items like septic waste to prevent environmental and public health issues. Dumping items like grease and oil improperly, such as in a yard, can also cause issues including the contamination of groundwater.
Colin Ward, the Southwest Indiana on-site sewage system coordinator for the Indiana Department of Health, said the word “crisis” comes to mind when he thinks about what would happen Jan. 1.
“But I would implore that there is a consideration put into place other than just essentially conducting a rug pull on an operation that will potentially lead us to not only a public health crisis, but an environmental crisis,” Ward said.
This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Evansville to delay shutdown of septic, grease station
Reporting by Sarah Loesch, Evansville Courier & Press / Evansville Courier & Press
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