The Official Website of the Town of Sellersburg: established 1846; incorporated 1890.
The Sellersburg Regions frequent rainfall brings an underground, out-of-sight problem into clear view. As little as an inch of rain can cause raw sewage to overflow into our rivers and streams. Melting snow can cause the same effect.
During dry weather, the sewage collection system, which transports wastewater from thousands of homes to the wastewater treatment plant, operates effectively.
However, when it rains or snow melts, extra storm water gets into the sewage collection system through direct connections or through leaky, cracked pipes. This extra volume of water overloads the sewage collection system pipes and raw sewage overflows at several locations before it reaches the treatment plant. Untreated sewage streams into waterways and overflows from manholes.
And the effects of wet weather can last for days. On rain events the Town advises all residents to stay out of streams through out the town. Educating your children is important.
Sewage overflows present a public health risk. While exposure to bacteria, such as giardiasis or cryptosporidiosis, are not considered fatal for a healthy adult, they can be deadly for those with weaker immune systems, the elderly and small children. While the public water systems do an excellent job of purifying water before sending it to homes, source protection is the cheapest and most effective way to ensure drinking water quality.
Water is an important resource for the economic development of the Sellersburg Area and sewage overflows hinder growth. Because these overflows violate the Clean Water Act, regulatory agencies, such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Indiana Department of Environmental Management, could stop the municipalities from adding new connections to the existing sewer system until the overflow problem is fixed. This restriction could limit the construction of new businesses and homes in Sellersburg, like in the late 80's
Fixing the problem is going to require a substantial long-term investment. Today's Town Council has already started the funding process by requiring new construction to pay more in tap in rates in order to provide capital for future expansion. Even though this is estimated not to help offset the cost of construction at the present time, it does provide funding for the future expansion projects.