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Exploring improvements for New Carlisle water treatment facility
NEW CARLISLE, Ind. (WSBT) — A study has started for potential water treatment facility improvements near New Carlisle.
This comes as St. Joseph County is about to get the state’s largest electric vehicle battery plant.
County officials have been looking into possible upgrades for the last three or four years.
The New Carlisle Potable Water Treatment Facility is nearly 40 years old, which experts say is pushing its lifespan. But they say this study is to determine its current condition and what’s needed for the EV battery plant and future growth in the New Carlisle area.
The New Carlisle drinking water treatment plant was made in the 1980’s and might be getting some major upgrades.
That’s according to the town engineer, Jared Huss.
So, you might see some building in structure improvements, but a big part of it is the actual treatment process and the equipment that is within the existing plant,” said Huss.
The study will also look at the treatment plant for non-drinking water, even though it’s less than 10 years old, in case improvements are needed to supply water to the GM project.
County leaders, including economic development director Bill Schalliol, have said treatment plant updates are needed to address future growth in New Carlisle.
That includes other investor or residential developments.
That’s one of the challenges we have. Right now, that plant has the capacity to produce enough water to service GM and other projects but right now it can’t, so we need to make improvements to the plant to allow that to happen,” said Bill Schalliol, St. Joseph County Economic Development Director.
Protecting the aquifer is a big component to this, according to Huss.
He says General Motors has voluntarily committed to regularly testing the aquifer levels and quality in addition to the town’s existing water tests.
“Any of the facilities that go out there have a vested interest to make sure that we are responsible using the water because they are a big component of how they run their industries and their businesses… So, we all have a pretty equal concern and interest to make sure that the treatment plant works properly and has the proper capacity,” said Huss.
The study is expected to last two or three months.
St. Joseph County is expected to pay for most of the estimated $15-million-dollar project with utility customers also expected to pay some, but the exact amount won’t be known until the study is complete.
