INDIANAPOLIS — A packed auditorium got to hear from representatives of Lebanon Utilities and Citizens Energy Group during a question-and-answer session on Tuesday.
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This comes after pleas from the community for more transparency about the Citizens - Lebanon Water Supply Program or CLWSP.
“It’s the process by which we’re expanding two of our water plant facilities, and then putting new pipes in the ground to get up to 25 million gallons of water per day to Lebanon Utilities as a wholesale customer. That’s the goal by 2031," Citizens Spokesperson Ben Easley said.
The project will include extending water mains, constructing booster stations and water storage provisions and expanding two water treatment plants — White River North and TW Moses at Eagle Creek.
“Currently, we pull about 10 million gallons of water per day from that [TW Moses] facility. That number will go up to 11 to 13. So one to three million gallons a day of increase. Additionally, at the White River North facility, the capacity of that facility will be increased by 25 million gallons per day. Eagle Creek will not be the primary facility we will be pulling in new amounts of water for this program. It is a small part," Easley said.
But residents who live near the reservoir are still concerned.
“If you’re taking out a lot of water, right now the reservoir is very low. It’s normally low to allow for birds. If it’s too low, it will affect the wildlife. There is a huge bird sanctuary there. Fishing, people love to fish there," Gabriele Hysong said.
Rachael Wolverton started the change.org petition, “Prohibit the LEAP project from using Eagle Creek Reservoir."
Right now, it has over 15,000 signatures.
“Sending the wastewater back into Eagle Creek Reservoir is our number one concern due to the sensitivity of the area with birds that migrate there, the animals that live there year-round. As well as, it’s our drinking water," Wolverton said. “The whole point [of the petition] was to give the community a voice to be heard about what we’re concerned about," she said.
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Nico Pennisi is the In Your Community reporter for Downtown Indy. He joined WRTV in October 2022. His passion has always been telling the stories of people who often get overlooked. Share your story ideas and important issues with Nico by emailing him at nico.pennisi@wrtv.com.
