Proposed Evansville septic disposal tank hits roadblock

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) — The Evansville Area Plan Commission denied a rezoning request Thursday that would have allowed a Posey County company to build a septic disposal facility near Skylane Airport.

More than 20 community members attended the meeting to oppose the rezoning, which would have permitted TSF to construct a septic disposal tank and pumping station along Allens Lane.

The commission unanimously voted to deny the request, but the petition now goes before the Vanderburgh County Board, which can overrule the decision.

Neighbors who live along Allens Lane said the proposed location is unsuitable for a septic facility.

“The area that they’re wanting to rezone is a flood zone. When the field river floods, the creek floods, the field floods, it goes over our levy into our pond where we fish out of and putting a septic receiving pit in that area just doesn’t seem like a good idea whenever you’re in a flood zone,” Ashlee Bowlds said.

The site is currently zoned for agriculture. The rezoning would have allowed heavy or specialized industrial uses, including a septic receiving tank.

TSF said the tank is necessary to continue operating septic disposal services in the area. The proposed facility would include a 10,000-gallon tank where trucks could dump material, according to Scott Buedel, speaking on behalf of the developer.

As we’ve previously reported, the Evansville Water & Sewer Utility will stop accepting raw septic waste this summer, creating a disposal problem for septic haulers.

“So when July 1st rolls around, the septic haulers are gonna have nowhere to dump their waste,” Buedel said.

TSF said the sewage would run through multiple processes before reaching the wastewater treatment plant and that the company has been working with EWSU to ensure the process meets new standards.

Neighbors said they understand the issue faced by septic haulers but believe TSF should look elsewhere.

“There are other places in Vanderberg County that are already zoned for this purpose that they could put this in,” Bowlds said..

One planning commission member said the county commissioners can overrule Thursday’s decision, leaving the final determination up in the air until at least February 24, when the county board next meets.

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