After more than a year of preparations, the Johnson County and Morgan County Boards of Commissioners met for the first time Monday to discuss a potential wastewater solution for businesses and residents in parts of both neighboring counties.
A $3.1 million wastewater plant, which is under construction in the Morgan County town of Waverly, will serve eastern Morgan County and could bring wastewater services to unincorporated areas of White River Township and the future Interstate 69 corridor in Johnson County, officials in both counties said.
Johnson County Commissioner Ron West has been in talks with Morgan County officials for about a year and a half, he said Monday. The project was brought to the public to discuss whether Johnson County will participate in the project and at what level.
To join with Morgan County, Johnson County officials would need to fund half of the cost to build the plant, about $1.55 million, and pay a yet-to-be-determined amount to run sewer lines through the county to connect the plant to homes and businesses in Johnson County.
If the boards agree to collaborate on the project, they need to act quickly, West said.
“Time is of the essence,” West said. “If we stammer and stutter and drag our feet—and I’m talking about Johnson County here—there will be little chance of going back and doing this later.”
The rush is due to a need to complete construction of sewer lines before I-69 reaches the White River Township-area, officials said. Highway construction is currently underway in Morgan County, with Johnson County next in line.
If the two State Road 37 crossings are not completed prior to the roadway becoming the new I-69, the price difference could be seven figures, said Tony Hinkle, Morgan County engineer. The cost would increase because the lines would have to be bored under the roadway, he said.
Both Bargersville and Greenwood utilities were given an opportunity to participate as well, but both declined, West said.
Another consideration for who should service these customers is who can reach them first, said Ryan Goodwin, a Morgan County commissioner. Because the Waverly plant has funding and construction is already underway, the project is more ready to link these potential clients to the system, he said.
West is on board with the project, he said, but fellow Johnson County Commissioners Brian Baird and Kevin Walls want to look more closely at the financial obligations, they said.
The Johnson County Council, the county’s financial arm, is aware of the project, but has not been presented with figures yet, West said. Monday was the first time Johnson County officials were given a hard number, he said.
For West, one advantage of governments overseeing wastewater expansion is not having to depend on utilities for services. With local governments in charge of wastewater, service can be ready when an economic development opportunity knocks, he said.
The project would make way for future economic development along the I-69 corridor and allow businesses and residents of about five nearby subdivisions in White River Township to link to the sewer system, West said.
