The Town of Cicero has been identified as a Storm Water MS-4 entity.
Town of Cicero is dedicated to providing a quality and effective storm water service to its customers. The implementation of the new Inflow/Infiltration reduction program provides for inspection of and certification of compliance for all properties connected to the Wastewater Department’s sewer system. The program is a step towards a more efficient sewer system by reducing the amount of clear water that enters our system. This ultimately means less flow to treat at the plant, and therefore lower operating and treatment costs. Please contact the Town of Cicero Utilities Department for more information. 317-984-4833. A copy of the letter to the customers and a copy of the ordinance can be found below.
- Letter to the Utility Customers
- Town of Cicero I&I Ordinance
EPA and Stormwater Information
In 2003 a Storm Water Utility Board was established. This board meets quarterly, making decision as to how the fund generated are spent to satisfy Phase II requirements. The appointed members of the Storm water Utility Board are:
- Board President: Bruce Freeman
- Board Member: Ted Lenze
- Board Member: Doug Mehlan
Terry Cooper is responsible for storm water issues regarding the town. Mr. Cooper deals with all field reports of illegal discharging into the town’s storm system. Terry assists with the administrative/educational information related to storm water issues.
For Storm water concerns call (317) 984-4833.
Storm Water and Construction Requirements
Storm Water Rule 5 or 327 IAC 15-5 affects any construction that results in the disturbance of one (1) acre or more. This will require a Storm Water Permit from the Town of Cicero. See Construction Standards.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Watershed?
A watershed is an area of land that collects and drains water from high points (hills) to low points (valleys). When rain falls in a watershed, the water travels over natural and manmade terrain features toward the lowest point. Any area that drains water to one location is a watershed. This means that watersheds can be as small as a backyard or as large as the land that drains into the Great Lakes.
Unlike the straight lines of city, county and state boundaries, watershed borders are wavy or jagged because they follow terrain features. Watershed boundaries often overlap political boundaries, which can make watershed management difficult.
No matter the size, watersheds are important because they supply us with water for drinking, recreation, industry and agriculture. Lakes, rivers and wetlands provide habitat for countless species of animals, insects and plants. Changes to the Indiana’s terrain can affect watersheds and the resources they provide.
Land development can dramatically affect how rainwater is moved through watersheds. Hard surfaces don’t absorb water, which puts more stress on nearby grassy areas to absorb rainwater. This problem is usually fixed by installing storm water drainage, such as gutters, surface drains, storm sewers and ditches. However, these are not natural solutions and can lead to flooding, damage water bodies and harm wildlife.
Additional Resources
What watershed is Cicero a part of?
The Upper White River Watershed provides water to thousands of area businesses, not to mention its ground water, streams, and reservoirs supply drinking water to all of central Indiana residents. Some of the major water users in our watershed include: Citizens Thermal Energy, Eli Lilly, IMI McCordsville, Indiana-American Water Company , Indianapolis Department of Waterworks, Indianapolis Power & Light Company, Martin Marietta Materials, Inc, and Stony Creek Stone Company.
Each of these industries withdraws more than 1 billion gallons of water annually from water resources within the Upper White River Basin. The Indianapolis Department of Waterworks in cooperation with Veolia Water serves nearly one million people in central Indiana. Various manufacturing operations are generally their largest customers. Demands for water from range of 120 million gallons per day (MGD) during the winter, to a high of 228 MGD in the summer. The average daily demand from Indianapolis Water customers is 140 MGD. (This is more than the water in 212 Olympic sized swimming pools every day)
Additional Resources
How can I make a difference in my neighborhood?
Fifteen Ways to Make a Difference!
- When it comes time to get your yard ready for the spring, use phosphorus free lawn fertilizer.
- Collect storm water from gutters to use in gardens can reduce utility bills.
- Fertilize less-first check soil nutrient levels can help personalize your fertilizer for better results and less waste.
- Plant beds of native grasses, flowers, or trees to naturally filter pollutants from groundwater.
- Cover bare ground with native plantings (Note: Answers to 2-5 can be found at the Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District
- Keep lawn clippings out of street and waterways will prevent backup of storm sewers and buildup of algae in your watershed.
- Use straw bales or silt fence when doing major construction or landscaping projects to reduce storm water erosion.
- Picking up pet wastes regularly can help keep E-coli and bacteria out of your storm water.
- Monitor and maintain your septic drain field and have your septic tank pumped.
- Keep household wastes out of storm sewers. Please visit the Hamilton County Hazardous Waste Center
- Talk to your neighbors about what you are doing to make a difference and spread the word.
What is Non-Point Pollution?
When most people hear “water pollution,” they think of large pipes dumping tainted liquid into a lake or river. The Clean Water Act changed all of that by introducing the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). The NPDES program created a system to monitor water quality and limit water pollution discharges into waterbodies.
The Clean Water Act has been so successful at reducing pollution discharges from industries and municipalities (point sources) that the single largest source of water contamination today comes from nonpoint source pollution.
Nonpoint source pollution comes from oil, pet waste, pesticide, herbicide, fertilizer, road salt, bacteria, sediment and any other contaminant that ends up on the ground naturally or from human activity. Rainwater picks up these contaminants as it washes over yards, sidewalks, driveways, parking lots and fields and deposits them into Indiana’s lakes and streams as nonpoint source pollution.
Nonpoint source pollution damages aquatic habitat, harms aquatic life, and reduces the capacity of water resources to be used for drinking water and recreation. Because nonpoint source pollution doesn’t come out of a pipe that’s easily located, it has to be managed differently than facilities with site-specific permits.
No matter where you live in Indiana, you contribute to nonpoint source pollution. The good news is that there are simple things everyone can do to reduce our impact on water quality. However, the specific way you can help reduce nonpoint source pollution varies as much as the sources of nonpoint source pollution. Look through the links below to learn where nonpoint source pollution comes from and find the ways you can make a difference in your water quality.
Additional Resources
- What is Non-Point Pollution PSA
- Blue Green Algae
- Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District