The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rep. Pete Visclosky (IN-1), and Indiana officials held a ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the end of sewer improvement projects in Gary and Lake Station, Ind.
The Gary Sanitary District forcemain replacement project included constructing a new 24-inch steel sanitary sewer forcemain that will alleviate the commonly-occurring breaks affecting a number of residential areas in the city. The nonfederal sponsor is the Gary Sanitary District. A contract was awarded to LGS Plumbing, Inc. of Crown Point, Ind., on Sept. 30, 2016 for $1,317,810. Field construction work started on April 15, 2017, and was completed on Nov. 5, 2017.
The Lake Station forcemain replacement project included replacing a 2,900-foot section of an18-inch sanitary sewer forcemain. The nonfederal sponsor is the City of Lake Station. A contract was awarded to Integrated Environmental Solutions, Inc. of Gary, Ind., on Sept. 30, 2016, for $1,049,870. Field construction started on May 1, 2017, and was completed on Feb. 28, 2018.
Benefits of the projects include improved reliability of the sanitary system, improvements to the flow of the sanitary sewer system and increased conveyance of flow, and a reduction of the commonly recurring cases of system shutdowns caused by pipe breaks.
“Projects of this nature are the result of partnerships among federal, regional and local agencies,” said Col. Aaron Reisinger, commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Chicago District. “We’re happy to assist in improving the reliability of the sanitary system within these communities.”
The projects were authorized under Section 219 of the Water Resources Development Act 1992 that allows the Army Corps of Engineers to provide planning, design and construction assistance for water-related environmental infrastructure projects in select areas. Projects under this authority are cost shared at 75 percent federal and 25 percent nonfederal.
“We are grateful to Rep. Peter Visclosky, Col. Aaron Reisinger and the Army Corps of Engineers, Mr. Charles Jackson, Mr. Dan Vicari, and Ms. Brenda Scott Henry and the entire Gary Sanitary District Team for another great collaboration,” Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson said. “This project is another example of that good that can happen when communities work together across geographical boundaries. The cities of Gary and Lake Station can now benefit from improved drainage along with an improved Clay Street. It is my sincere hope that we will join forces to demand accountability from to those who disrespect our communities through dumping.”
“Without the assistance of Congressman Visclosky and the Army Corps of Engineers and Dewey Lemley, this much- needed project would not be possible,” Lake Station Mayor Christopher Anderson said. “Completion of this project represents a huge investment in our city’s infrastructure and a huge improvement to our sanitary sewer system.”
“I thank the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson and the Gary Common Council, and Mayor Christopher Anderson and the Lake Station City Council, for their tireless efforts to identify opportunities to invest in upgrades to existing infrastructure and protect our environment,” Rep. Pete Visclosky said. “Their diligent work to see this investment through to fruition will provide vast benefits to our wetlands, the lives of our residents, and our quality of place.”