Fish and Royer Lakes
La Grange, IN
Project Context
Like many small communities, the Fish Royer Lakes was faced with the challenge of growth. Over the course of the last 50 years, many summer homes had become permanent residences. Originally each home (235 homes) had a septic tank and leach field. Because of growth, high levels of pollutants were percolating through the soil and entering the lakes, causing serious health hazards during the summer months. Additionally, the water table was very close to the surface which further aggravated the problem.
In 1992, the County began to actively pursue the construction of a regional treatment system based on a study prepared by Ball State University. The study examined decentralized treatment systems that were paired with constructed wetlands. Based on a subsequent engineering feasibility study prepared in conjunction with NSI, the County elected to build a wastewater treatment system that included a Small Diameter Collection System, Anaerobic Pretreatment Tanks, a Subsurface Flow Constructed Wetlands and Dosed Sand Filters.
Operating History
The system has been in operation since 1994 and has met the BOD and TSS conditions of the permit during the peak summer months. In fact, this system has survived the illegal dumping of septage during the winter months by a local septic tank pumper who has been dumping an approximate 12,000 to 18,000 gallons a month into the system.
