County agrees to support critical sewer work in Birdseye

Town officials request $350,000 from Dubois County to match grant application for wastewater improvements

Birdseye town officials asked for $350,000 in funding from Dubois County to address critical wastewater infrastructure issues that have stalled the community’s growth for years.

Town Council President Bret Eckert and Water Sewer Superintendent Joey Schwartz presented their case to the county council, explaining that the town has been under a sewer ban from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) since approximately 2015.

“Unfortunately, we cannot add any new connections,” Eckert explained. “So it hurts our growth also in our community.”

The ban prevents the town from connecting new properties to its sewer system, forcing potential new home builders to install their own septic systems—a significant deterrent to development.

Jessica Condra, project administrator with Indiana 15 Regional Planning Commission, explained that Birdseye is applying for a grant through the Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) to fund the necessary repairs.

“We are looking at applying for a round one OCRA application. Proposals are due on April 17th,” Condra said.

The funding plan includes $200,000 that Birdseye would borrow through a water alliance loan, the requested $350,000 from Dubois County, and up to $750,000 from the OCRA grant.

According to Eckert, the original assessment called for approximately $2.7 million in improvements, but town officials have prioritized the most critical needs. They were able to reduce that estimated cost to $1,265,000.

“Joey and I have narrowed things down to where we believe we will get everything fixed that needs to be fixed and get us set for the next 20 to 30 years,” Eckert said. “Get us off of the sewer ban and then get us to move forward and progress.”

Major components of the project include manhole rehabilitation, piping and other infrastructure improvements, lift station rehabilitation, lagoon dredging, and land application for biosolids.

The town’s wastewater system faces significant challenges with infiltration and inflow during rain events. Schwartz illustrated the severity of the problem by noting that after 1.7 inches of rain, the system processed over 400,000 gallons of water—far exceeding its daily maximum capacity of 80,000 gallons.

Birdeye officials emphasize that they have taken significant steps to address the situation, including multiple rate increases over the past several years to pay for improvements. The sewer rate has risen from $31.02 per 4,000 gallons in 2019 to $45.32 in 2024, and water rates have increased from $51.16 to $53.56 during the same period.

“We have raised the rates on both water and sewer,” Eckert added. “Birdeye is about $46,000 median household income. So we’re trying to be responsible there without raising the rates too much.”

Condra noted that the town has explored other funding options, including USDA loans and the State Revolving Fund, but determined that Birdseye cannot afford the loan payments based on its financial situation.

If approved, the project timeline would see awards announced on August 21, with bids required within six months. Construction would likely begin in spring 2026 and be completed by early summer 2027.

The consequences of not addressing the issues could be severe. Officials note that IDEM could potentially force more drastic measures if the problems remain unresolved as the town approaches a 10-year mark since the initial warning.

The town is already engaging residents about the project, with over 60 survey responses received—representing 12 to 15 percent of the population. A public hearing to discuss the project and address residents’ concerns is scheduled for the town board meeting on Thursday, April 3, 2025.

County officials appeared receptive to the request, noting that Birdseye has “skin in the game” with their loan commitment and efforts to secure OCRA funding. The council voted unanimously to approve the funding request.

If the OCRA application is successful, Condra will work with county officials to complete the necessary documentation by the May 16 deadline. She notes that OCRA applications sometimes require multiple submissions before approval, so the process might need to be repeated in the fall if the first application is unsuccessful.