County honored for water availability study

Commissioners & Surveyor’s Office accept County Achievement Award

The Association of Indiana Counties has awarded Hamilton County with its prestigious County Achievement Award for the county’s Water Availability Study.

County Commissioners Christine Altman, Steve Dillinger, and Mark Heirbrandt and County Surveyor Kenton Ward accepted the award during the Association’s annual conference held in Switzerland County Sept. 23 to 26.

“Hamilton County has long been one of the fastest-growing counties in the nation,” Ward said. “Our water supplies and distribution systems, like other infrastructure, have had to stretch to keep up. We need to do what we can now to ensure we can deliver safe and reliable water to the community in the future.”

Hamilton County hired an environmental consulting firm to conduct the comprehensive study on water availability after the Indiana Development Finance Authority published a report highlighting an alarming increase in water usage in Hamilton County. The three-year study, costing $2,145,000, began is 2021 and includes monitoring aquifer and surface water levels and quality, improving long-term water availability, expanding aquifer yield for drinking water, and exploring innovative designs for aquifer recharge. The hope is that the study will help identify effective conservation practices and avoid a potential groundwater supply crisis.

Mark Heirbrandt, President of the Hamilton County Commissioners, expressed his enthusiasm about the award and the significance of the study.

“We are honored to be recognized with this award,” he said. “Hamilton County remains dedicated to ensuring a sustainable water future for its residents and looks forward to continuing its efforts to balance growth with responsible water management.”

The study was funded from Hamilton County’s share of the American Rescue Plan Act.