HAMILTON COUNTY — For decades, the site on the edge of Geist Reservoir off of Oilo Road was an active limestone quarry.
But Citizens Energy Group has given this crater a new use.
A more than 200 foot limestone wall that separates Geist Reservoir from the new Citizens Reservoir,
Geist Reservoir is 1,800 acres, holds over 6 billion gallons of water and has an average depth around 10 feet. Citizens Reservoir is 90 acres, holds a little more than 3 billion gallons and is 230 feet deep.
When drought causes water levels to drop on Geist, this new water source will help bring water levels back up.
"We can get 30 million gallons a day pumping out of this reservoir going back into Geist Reservoir," Ryan Taylor, purification plant engineering manager, said. "Then during the wet season, we can get 100 million gallons to come back into the quarry to fill it up."
"It enables us to balance the withdrawals from our three primary sources of water: Geist Reservoir, Morse Reservoir and the White River," Dan Considine, a spokesperson for Citizens Energy Group, said.
The reservoir increases the available water supply to eight counties in central Indiana, including Marion County and Indianapolis.
The change from quarry to holding tank began in 2019. This new reservoir was filled in 2021 with excess water from Geist.
"It's very unique in Indiana. It's a very unique opportunity because our quarry is right next to our reservoir. We only needed a few hundred feet to connect the two," Taylor said.
This new water resource will help handle future population and economic growth.
"We think this reservoir will provide the additional water supply we need over the next 20 years," Considine said.
-
How Indy residents are getting around without a car during extreme cold
Not everyone in central Indiana has a car to get around in these freezing temperatures. On foot, on a bike or the on the bus are some of the other ways Hoosiers are getting where they need to go.
ISP sergeant calls it 'heartbreaking' as 'selfish' drivers hit trooper vehicles
Six Indiana State Police trooper vehicles in the Indianapolis district have been hit in just the last five days, all while responding to other crashes on icy roads.
Fortville takes steps to get another grocery store as town grows
Right now, there is only one dedicated grocery store on the east end of town, a distance that can become a serious barrier for residents without reliable transportation.
Local program helps residents avoid utility shutoffs during winter cold snap
United Way of Central Indiana’s Winter Assistance Fund, a program designed for people who earn too much to qualify for government energy assistance programs but still can't afford rising utility costs
