By Amy Lavalley
Post-Tribune
VALPARAISO — ed linens, trousers, mop heads and other items flushed by inmates at the Porter County Jail are wreaking havoc on a Sturdy Road pump station, causing ongoing problems for Valparaiso’s utility department.
Steve Poulos, director of the city’s utilities, updated the Porter County Board of Commissioners about the issue last week. The clogs, which have caused sewer backups at the jail on Ind. 49, are costly for the city and could cause the pump to fail.
The city has been working with representatives from the jail and the commissioners to come up with a solution. A study by McMahon and Associates, completed over the summer, offers an assortment of possible solutions, Poulos said, including a rake system.
“As you can see, it’s not a small investment for the county,” Poulos said Tuesday. A rake system costs $300,000 to $350,000.
Commission President John Evans, R-North, said one of the county’s consultants would take a look at the study and the options it offers, with the goal of getting something installed as soon as the weather breaks.
In a related matter, commissioners agreed to move forward with bids for much-needed upgrades for the jail, including the phone system and other technology, and a new air conditioning unit for the E-911 dispatch center, among other improvements.
Full story: Sewage problems backing up at Porter County jail