INDIANAPOLIS — Neighbors who live on the west side of Indianapolis say they oppose a planned wastewater treatment facility on South Tibbs Avenue.
"If you've got kids playing out back, when an emergency happens and there's raw sewage running through your backyard, I mean, that's kind of scary for me," said Jessica Saenz, vice president of the West Indianapolis Neighborhood Congress.
Saenz said at least 400 neighbors don't want it to be built.
"The plant would not service us. Basically, we get all of the nasty or the risks without any of the benefits of the plant," Saenz said.
The new facility would be constructed at the site of the former Chrysler wastewater treatment plant, a five-acre area now gated and filled with mounds of sand and industrial materials.
Councilors Jared Evans and Kristin Jones said discussions began last July with community members. They highlighted neighbors environmental concerns, like the potential for runoff.
"One of the concerns has been effluent that comes out of it. I think the point has to be made that it's one-tenth of what is allowable," Evans said. "And the water going out suggested by IDEM and experts say that it's cleaner than pool water."
Councilor Jones lives on the west side.
"This is in my backyard. So for all those folks who are concerned about this, I am going to live with the consequences of what this will be, and for me, this is a benefit," Jones said.
Evans said the facility will help the Ben Davis Conservancy district by saving 16,000 families from rate increases.
"When we think wastewater treatment plants, we think of the one on Belmont, the one with the smell. That's not the case. This is a new state-of-the-art facility that's in communities like Zionsville, Noblesville – near homes," Evans said.
Councilors said the new facility will not produce offensive odors, like methane or hydrogen sulfide. It will also not use a burn process for sludge-handling like the Belmont facility.
They said the site is currently zoned for I-4 use, which is the "most intense use allowed by the city's zoning code." That makes the site free to be used, for example, as a stock yard, slaughterhouse, oil refinery and more.
Leaders said the Ben Davis Conservancy District proposal prevents this kind of development.
Also, leaders said the facility will be operated by a Class IV operator – the highest-level classification issued by the state.
"This has been going on for months. We've certainly done our homework. We worked really hard to get great commitments," Jones said.
Jones said the land will also have a wildlife area, more greenery, landscaping and lights to help beautify the area.
Still, neighbors don't want it in their backyard.
"The Belmont Wastewater treatment facility is just two miles from here, and then, we would have this one on the other side of here. In between there at [Ross] Claypool park. There's a DigIndy Tunnel. This is bordering on abuse at this point. That is a lot for us to take on," Saenz said.
There is a full City-County Council meeting on Monday, and councilors said there will be no public hearing, no testimony and no votes on the topic – only the passage to move forward with the proposal.
(EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been edited to correct the name of Councilor Kristin Jones from an earlier version.)