Elkhart, Ind., breaks ground on $37 million project to curb sewer overflows, add 10-mile pipe

(UI) — A major sewer infrastructure project is now underway on the southwest side of Elkhart, marking what city leaders are calling the largest single investment in local infrastructure to date, according to WSBT 22.

Known as the Oakland Project, the effort includes construction of a 1.7-million-gallon combined sewer overflow (CSO) storage tank and an accompanying lift station. The initiative is part of the broader Elkhart Aspire campaign aimed at improving water quality and managing stormwater more effectively.

WSBT 22 reported that city officials gathered for a ceremonial groundbreaking this week, although excavation and site work are already in progress. The $37 million project is designed to reduce sewage discharges into local waterways during heavy rain, when stormwater runoff typically overwhelms the system and forces untreated overflow into the river.

To address this, the project includes installation of a new sewer pipe stretching approximately 10 miles from central Elkhart to the city’s wastewater treatment plant. The long-range pipeline will work in tandem with the CSO tank to help prevent contamination during wet weather events.

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