LAPEL — The cost to repair damage to Lapel lift station pumps is nearing $50,000.
At the most recent Lapel Town Council meeting on Feb. 20, it was recommended by the utility department, after damages to pumps at the Main Street lift station, to purchase a grinder pump.
The town had purchased grinder pumps for the lift station on County Road 300 South last year because of damage from clogged pumps.
Pumps have continued to be clogged by objects such as T-shirts, mop heads, painter’s rags and baby wipes.
In hopes of finding how pumps were getting damaged, a camera was put at the 300 South lift station, but it failed after someone covered the camera.
The damage to the Main Street station happened last month.
The town voted at its meeting to approve a bid to have a grinder pump installed, contingent on the cost being less than $15,000.
“The pumps that are there now are in the $3,000 range,” town council president Chad Blake said. “The grinder pump, those are $7,000-plus, including installation.
“It’s cheaper to replace it with a pump that is there when it is destroyed, but it leaves us susceptible to somebody damaging it again.”
Blake said the town is insured, but it does not cover the entire cost.
When damage to pumps continued after the grinder pump was installed at the 300 South location, Blake said, it confirmed vandalism was involved.
“As soon as the problem moved when we bought the (grinder) pump that would fix it — that’s what told us it was intentional,” he said.
Blake said prior to the most recent pump problem, the town had incurred close to $40,000 in related damages. He said the grinder pump with installation could end up costing about an additional $10,000.
“We need the public’s help” catching whoever is responsible for the vandalism, Blake said. “(The debris) could be dropped in any manhole cover in town, any storm drain. There are so many potential areas where it could happen.”
His message to residents: “If you see someone tampering with a drain, or if you know anything (about the cause of the damage), please call the Lapel police” at 765-534-4600.
Blake said current and former council members and town employees have also been the victim of vandalism, too, involving slashed vehicle tires and nails put in driveways.
Additional engineer
The town heard from Jeremy Van Erman of Commonwealth Engineers Inc. of Indianapolis, a company that specializes in water projects.
The town is considering using the company for water projects instead of its usual engineering firm, RQAW Corp. of Fishers.
“(Commonwealth’s) specialty in engineering is water and waste water,” Blake said.
The town has been denied multiple time in efforts to get an Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) grant to aid efforts for waste water improvements.
Blake said the town will not apply during the next round of OCRA grants; applications are due in April. He said the town plans to re-evaluate its project and submit an application the following round; those applications are due in October.
