GOSPORT − For many people living in the small town of Gosport, the prospect of a 75% water rate increase is hard to swallow.
During a Nov. 14 town board meeting, people concerned about rising water rates showed up. They heard about dire conditions at the outdated water-treatment facility and water distibution infrastructure the rate increase will help fund.
“It’s called progress,” board member Larry Norman told senior citizens upset by the rising cost of water.
Bids will be sought in January for a $5 million project that includes a new water treatment plant, four new water mains, new residential and business service lines and a new well to replace one that’s neary 50 years old.
More than half of the $5 million project will be funded by state and federal grants. It’s up to the town and its’ water users to pay the rest off over time.
Gosport water bills ratcheting up
Already this year, water rates have gone up $9 per household.
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Gosport residents just learned that starting in December, 4,000 gallons of water that now cost $37 will be $65. In January 2025, a second anticipated rate hike will add another $4.29 to the cost of 4,000 gallons.
That brings a mid-range monthy bill to $70.
On the brink of losing local control
During a July town board meeting, Norman said Gosport’s water utility was on the brink of a state takeover unless immediate steps were taken to upgrade the water treatment and distribution system.
“We are that close,” he said, holding up the thumb and index finger of one hand, a tiny gap between them, “of IDEM coming to take this water system over if we don’t fix it.”
He said the state could arrange for an independent firm to take over the town water system and determine how much users pay, but the town board wants to retain control.
“The last time an IDEM insepector was down here, there were two full pages of violations. Right now, IDEM can come in here and shut us down,” Norman said. “They have been cutting us some slack.”
Lots of leaks
A March 23 sanitation survey inspection lists two major deficiencies, both cited in a previous on-site review: the leaking system has more than 25% water loss and the water treatment building has multiple leaks from the roof and ceiling.
The report said Gosport water plant workers must “actively find and fix as many leaks (as possible) in the water distribution system to reduce this water loss amount.” It also says the water treatment building leaks “must be repaired as soon as possible.”
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Fixing leaks is a continuous effort, and the town hired a contractor this summer to re-roof the old water plant building for $7,200.
The state report lists seven minor “deficiencies,” including the lack of a back-up power source at the water plant and well field and a structurally unsound water storage tank.
Indiana Department of Environmental Management spokesman Allen Carter confirmed Gosport’s water system has some compliance issues. But since a remediation plan is in place, he was less ominous than Norman in assessing the situation.
“IDEM has been in contact Gosport Water Utility operators about making sure the issues noted are addressed,” Carter said. “There have been no discussions of a shutdown.”
That’s because of the promise of a new treatment facility, distribution lines and more to bring the aging system up to modern and safe standards.
Despite the water distibution system’s deteriorating conditions, Carter said drinking water test samples in Gosport continue to meet standards set by the federal Safe Drinking Water Act.
Gary Marker and his wife Cindy are small-town entrepreneurs. They run a gas station in Paragon, and just opened a new liquor store called Gosport Liquors.
And for 15 years, the Markers have owned two of Gosport’s biggest water-consuming businesses: the Crystal Clean Laundromat, the only coin-operated laundry in town, and the two-bay Crystal Clean Car wash, now closed for the winter.
Gary Marker said the only way to sustain the laundromat will be to pass the cost increase on to his customers.
“Either we won’t be able to keep it going or people are going to have to pay five, six, maybe seven dollars to do their laundry,” he said. “We’re pretty cheap now; $2.50 for a regular machine and $3.50 for the bigger ones.”
He acknowledged that many of their customers are low-income locals who sometimes don’t have reliable transportation or the ability to travel far beyond Gosport.
“It’s a poor community where some people don’t have a washer and dryer, and some don’t have the water capacity to do laundry, so we do a pretty decent business,” Marker said.
Contact H-T reporter Laura Lane at llane@heraldt.com or…
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