The Indianapolis Department of Waterworks today unveiled a capital-improvements proposal that would raise water rates for
the average residential customer by 35 percent, or $8 a month.
Among 23 firms that have expressed interest in operating Indianapolis’ water and sewer systems is Macquarie, the Australian
firm that operates the Indiana Toll Road under a 75-year, $3.8 billion lease. In July, the city asked companies to express
interest in operating the systems.
Already swamped with higher debt costs due to a bond refinancing fiasco, the city’s Department of Waterworks is asking
the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission to OK a rate hike to pay for capital projects.
A bottled water plant is expected to open in central Indiana next year, with the company planning to buy about 300,000 gallons
of municipal water daily.
Indianapolis Power & Light Co. has agreed to a 20-year contract with a state agency to potentially draw millions of gallons
of water from southern Indiana’s Lake Monroe.
Veolia Water Indianapolis, which manages the city’s water utility, has appealed an order issued by state utility regulators
that limited a major rate increase sought by the city.
Customer groups say an 18-percent rate hike sought by the Indianapolis Department of Waterworks is excessive even for a utility
drowning in variable-rate bond debt that’s swelled since financial markets collapsed.
Sugar Creek Utility Co. wants the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission to grant it rate relief for the 84-lot manufactured
housing community Riley Village.
Records show 17 percent of the 51 billion gallons Indianapolis Water treats and pumps from its plants never so much as moves
a digit on customers’ water meters.
