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Wastewater Department

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"Water is the most precious compound in the world and we provide life-sustaining water back into the world." - City of Monticello Wastewater Utilities

fishFish at wastewater plant discharge area on Lake Freeman. "Life-sustaining water back into the world."Strong infrastructure is important for a city to attract and keep businesses. Along with roads and drinking water, wastewater collection and treatment are key services provided by the city. Proper wastewater treatment also plays an important role in protecting local water resources such as the Tippecanoe River and Lake Freeman.

The Wastewater Utility is responsible for operating and maintaining more than 36 miles of storm and sanitary sewer lines, several pump stations, and a Class III wastewater treatment plant. This treatment plant was originally built in 1950 and is currently undergoing its third major upgrade. The most recent improvements increase the plant’s average daily treatment capacity from 1.1 million gallons per day (MGD) to 1.6 MGD, and its maximum peak capacity from 2.4 MGD to 3.6 MGD.


The upgraded treatment system uses modern technology, including fine screening and grit removal, followed by an advanced activated sludge process. This system not only removes common pollutants and ammonia but also reduces phosphorus and nitrogen, which helps prevent water pollution and protects nearby rivers and lakes.


The utility also places a strong focus on sustainability and resource recovery. Energy use is carefully managed, and nutrients are recovered by processing biosolids removed from the wastewater. These biosolids are thoroughly treated and tested, then reused as soil conditioners and fertilizer supplements on local farmland.


Monticello, like many cities in Indiana, has a combined sewer system that carries both wastewater and stormwater in the same pipes. During heavy rainfall or snowmelt, these systems can overflow, creating Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs). The City is actively working to reduce and eliminate CSOs through an agreement with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and by following its Long-Term Control Plan. To date, four out of the five required projects under this plan have been completed. The fifth and final Long-Term Control Plan Project will start the design phase in 2026 and will be completed by 2028.

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Quick Facts

  • In 2022, over 633 Million gallons of water were processed through the treatment plant with an average daily flow of 1.25 million gallons per day. Water from the treatment plant is discharged to Lake Freeman and exceeds the standards set by the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit with greater than 99% removal of ammonia, solids, and oxygen demanding solutes. Over $28,000 worth of fertilizer was generated by the treatment process and returned as valuable nutrients to the City's agricultural land east of the City.
  • In addition to the treatment plant itself, the Utility operates and maintains 14 pump stations throughout the City and over 36-miles of collection pipes. In 2022, City personnel cleaned over 10,000-feet of pipe and contracted Accu-Dig, Inc to clean, televise, and inspect an additional 15,000-feet of pipe as a part of the City's on-going Asset Maintenance and Management Plan.
  • Utility personnel also processed over 1,596 locate tickets through the 811 "Call Before You Dig" System.
  • The Utility is currently designing Long Term Control Plan (LTCP) Project No. 5 in its efforts to meet and exceed the requirements of the City's Agreed Order to mitigate and reduce Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs). LTCP Project No. 4 included several large diameter interceptor sewers and a new effluent sewer from the treatment plant to the Lake.  Project No. 4 was completed January 26, 2022.
  • new2 removebgThe previous four LTCP projects include:
    • Project 1:   Sewer separation in the National Homes Neighborhood
    • Project 2a: The Bryan's Lift Station Improvements and Wet Weather Storage System
    • Project 2b: The Maple Street Interceptor
    • Project 3:   Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion and Improvements
    • Project 4:   Collection System Improvement Project (Lines A-D)

    The four completed LTCP projects have been highly effective in reducing CSO activity. As of 2022, less than 6 million gallons of water overflowed from the system in the entire year, compared to the average of 90 million gallons per year of overflow that occurred before the LTCP Projects.

    In addition, of the 5.38 million gallons of active CSO overflow for the year 2022, over 97% of the overflow occurred after passing through the new 60-MGD fine screen at the treatment plant's Headworks which removes any trash, debris, or other solid objects greater than a quarter inch in size.