Nature Works Conservancy District - Porter County, IN

The Aberdeen Development comprising approximately 700 residential and commercial units was seeking a means to collect and dispose of their sewage.

When NIES became involved a system requiring a septic tank to be located in each front yard, small diameter sewers and 25 acres of constructed wetlands and septic drain fields was being proposed. The costs were prohibitive.

NIES proposed a conventional gravity sewer system and a highly efficient small wastewater treatment plant. The initial cost savings were approximately $1,000,000. The long term savings resulting from not having to pump out 700 septic tanks are also substantial.

Cost savings aside, the treatment plant performance has consistently been well within the IDEM requirements. The collection system was designed for minimal leakage and resulting treatment plant flows have been substantially below expectations. No significant increase in plant flowrate is experienced during rainfall events.

By working together, the Nature Works Conservancy District and NIES Engineering have created a high performance sewage collection and treatment system which has proven cost effective to build and to operate.

Stephen Park - Schererville, IN

Stephen Park is located in Schererville, IN, at the intersection of 77th Avenue and Lincolnwood Avenue. When the Schererville Parks Department decided to make drainage improvements to some of their parks, they came to NIES for help.

NIES was hired to collect highly accurate topographic data for site analysis, pinpoint areas in the park where drainage was a concern, analyze potential for stormwater detention and make a recommendation for improvements. The existing site had very low slopes ranging from flat to 4% with several isolated low areas providing no chance of runoff during heavy rains. This resulted in large portions of the Park being relatively useless following storm events. After site and cost analysis with the Town and Parks Department, a design was selected that would provide a stormwater conveyance system for the recreational areas in the park and restore an existing eroded ditchline.

This provided residents with a more enjoyable park with usable recreation facilities and alleviated maintenance expenditures for the Parks Dept. NIES also assisted with overseeing construction of the project to ensure that the sewer and ditchline was installed and restored in a manner that would maintain use of as many existing facilities on site as possible.

Key Points

• Cost Effective Solution
• Reduced Over Time Costs
• Improved Drainage

Local Street Reconstruction - 75th Avenue, Town of Schererville, IN

75th Avenue is located north of Route 30 just east of Cline Avenue in Schererville Indiana. Before construction this roadway varied from 12 to 15 feet in width with a ditch and various utilities restricting it's path. The right-of-way was inconsistent and narrow, limiting its value to the community.

NIES Engineering was selected by the Town of Schererville to determine a reasonable and cost effective way to improve this roadway. The project was to widen the existing roadway to connect to the existing street improvements made at Camden Woods subdivision, maintain the ditch slopes on the north side, and tie in to the original traffic configuration at Cline Avenue. A 24' roadway was designed with new hydrants and culverts installed to Town standards. Space and grading were critical due to the narrow right-of-way. Existing utility poles were relocated through coordination with NIPSCO to provide room. A new guardrail was also installed to replace the old guardrail that did not meet INDOT specifications.

Upon completion of the design NIES assisted with the bidding and award of the contract and the overseeing of construction, closely working with residents and local business owners to keep disruption to their daily routines to a minimum. The street construction was completed under budget and the residents and business owners now enjoy a drastically improved and safer roadway with better fire protection and drainage.

Key Points

• Wider Roadway
• Cost Effective Rehabilitation
• Extended Life
• Improved Stormwater Runoff

Sanitary Interceptor Sewer - Town of Schererville, IN

The Town of Schererville identified an existing shortfall in sanitary sewer capacity in the southeast portion of town. This coupled with an anticipated demand for ever greater capacity due to land development projections prompted a study to examine potential solutions. The result of this study was a framework for a new sewer design using former Rail Road Rights-of-Way, obtaining utility easements through private land and using Public Road Rights-of-Way.

Legal descriptions were prepared for 25 parcels needed to complete the sewer installation. The final product of the design is a 4.5 mile gravity sanitary interceptor sewer ranging in size from 24" to 42" and encompassing over 100' of elevation change. The sewer route is generally from the Schererville Waste Water Treatment Plant southeasterly along the current and former Norfolk Southern Rail Road Right-of-Way, through Schererville Heights. The project is sized to provide service to almost 6 square miles of currently unserved land within the Schererville Utility District. Construction is anticipated to commence in the summer of 2008 with completion expected in the fall of 2009.

In addition to the design of the sewer NIES Engineering prepared legal descriptions for 25 parcels needed to complete the sewer installation.

Key Points

• Design
• Bidding Assistance
• Utility Easements