Calumet Township
Septic Tank Elimination Project (STEP)
Construction Has Started!
Free connection if you sign up NOW!
$85/Month Sewer Rate Bill to Begin on or After August 1, 2025.
Contact us to get a Property Owner Connection Agreement for your parcel in order to be included in the project.
Calumet Township
Septic Tank Elimination Project (STEP)
Construction Has Started!
Free connection if you sign up NOW!
$85/Month Sewer Rate Bill to Begin on or After August 1, 2025.
Contact us to get a Property Owner Connection Agreement for your parcel in order to be included in the project.
STEP Summary
The Calumet Septic Tank Elimination Project (STEP) is an effort by Lake County to provide sanitary sewer service to a currently unserved area of unincorporated Calumet Township. VS Engineering is leading the design and construction team for the project on behalf of Lake County. The project area is bordered, in general, by Ridge Road to the north, 53rd Avenue to the South, Whitcomb Street to the West and Cleveland Street to the east and total approximately 1,000 acres and 1,200 potential sanitary sewer customers.
STEP Project Map. Click photo to enlarge.
Click here to view PDF
All areas are expected to be served with sanitary sewers eventually; however, a project of this scale requires a phased approach. Therefore, the project has been further subdivided into an initial engineering and construction phase, called Construction Package 1 and Future Construction Packages. Construction Package 1 consists of:
- Design and construction of all mains, services, and decommissioning of septic tanks for all properties in Basins 3, 7, and 10.
- Design and construction of an interceptor sewer that will consolidate flow from all basins into a single pipe.
- Design and construction of a pump station and force main pipe that will convey wastewater flow from the entire project area into an adjacent wastewater utility for treatment.
Please refer to additional materials below. There is a questionnaire packet that will help answer questions and provide the design team with valuable feedback about specific properties within the project area. Frequently Asked Questions should also help answer most of the common questions.
Timeline of Project Stages
PROJECT PHASE
TIME FRAME
Start of Construction, Public Rights of Way
September, 2024
Start of Construction, Lift Station & Forcemain
October, 2024
Lift Station & Forcemain Goes Online
June, 2025
Private Connections Construction Begins
June, 2025
Project Complete
October, 2026
Meetings
The first Public Meeting regarding the project was held on November 10, 2022. Below please find the sets of plans that were presented at the Public Meeting, a video of the presentation itself and a PDF version of the presentation and materials that were distributed at the meeting.
Supporting Materials for the Meeting:
View Calumet STEP Interceptor - 25% Plans PDF
View Calumet STEP Basin 3 - 25% Plans PDF
View Calumet STEP Basin 7 - 25% Plans PDF
View Calumet STEP Basin 10 - 25% Plans PDF
Calumet STEP Public Outreach Meeting Presentation
Calumet STEP Public Outreach Meeting Handout
Public Outreach Meeting Video, November 10, 2022:
Meetings
The first Public Meeting regarding the project has been scheduled for November 10, 2022.
Doors Open: 5:30pm CST
Meeting Time: 6:00pm - 8:00pm CST
Location: Calumet New Tech High School Gymnasium (use Door D off of Calhoun Street)
3900 Calhoun Street, Gary, IN 46408
Topic: Calumet Township STEP Public Outreach
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85459542752?pwd=ODhXWXFXeWtBSEJWWFJNMm1UdkRqUT09
Meeting ID: 854 5954 2752
Passcode: 248732
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Meeting ID: 854 5954 2752
Passcode: 248732
Find your local number:
https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kbbW7Y4m1E
Supporting Materials for the Meeting:
View Calumet STEP Interceptor - 25% Plans PDF
View Calumet STEP Basin 3 - 25% Plans PDF
View Calumet STEP Basin 7 - 25% Plans PDF
View Calumet STEP Basin 10 - 25% Plans PDF
Project Team
FAQs
Who is paying for the initial installation costs?
Initial installation costs of $2,500 are waived for those who sign up before the cutoff date. If you choose not to connect, future connections will be the responsibility of the property owner and cost an additional $25,000 or more.
Will an easement or right-of-entry be required from each property owner?
A right-of-entry will be necessary for the contractor to enter private property and construct laterals, grinder pump stations, and other sewer infrastructure that will not be owned and maintained by the County. All sewer infrastructure that is outside of public ROW or sewer easement is owned by the property owner. The County will only be responsible for maintaining infrastructure that is owned by the County. Private sewer laterals and grinder pump stations will need to be maintained by the property owner.
Who is paying for long term maintenance costs?
Long term maintenance costs of individual sanitary facilities (e.g. sewer service, grinder station, etc.) will be the responsibility of the property owner.
What are the annual/monthly sewer fees?
The monthly sewer rate is $85.00 per month.
When will this work be taking place?
Project construction will begin in the Fall of 2024. Please see Timeline of Project Stages on this website page.
Am I required to connect immediately or can I wait until my current septic system fails? If I wait, will Lake County still pay for my connection/grinder station?
You are not required to connect immediately. However, if you opt not to connect at this time, the County will not pay for your connection after the project is complete. All costs to connect in the future will be the responsibility of the property owner. Should your septic system fail in the future, if you're within 300 feet of the newly installed system, you will be required to connect to the system at your own expense. The Health Department will enforce this.
What kind of disturbance to my lawn can I expect? Will the County be restoring my lawn to existing condition?
Depending on the home/parcel location within each Basin, the County may be installing a sanitary service pipe, a grinder station or both. This will involve digging a trench in each yard to the sanitary sewer service point at each home. The County will place seed and mulch over the disturbed area and will monitor growth to ensure the seed takes.
Project Questionnaire / Survey Packet
If your home/parcel is in Basins 3, 7 or 10, survey work in your area has already commenced and will be ongoing.
Questionnaires and survey notices regarding your property have already been sent via United States Postal Service to every property owner in those basins.
If you haven’t received a questionnaire/survey packet and your home/parcel is located within Basins 3, 7 or 10, please find a link below to the questionnaire/survey packet that was distributed to home/parcel owners within those districts at the beginning of July, 2022. Please fill out the questionnaire and return it to the indicated address at your convenience.
You may also attach the form electronically to the Contact Us form and submit it to the Project Team directly.
Contact Us
If you have any questions or require additional information, please do not hesitate to reach out.
The project team may be reached by filling out the following form.
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