Citizens Energy's request for a rate hike to repair century-old water lines in Indianapolis could be the first of many around the state.
Utility Consumer Counselor Dave Stippler, the state's official consumer advocate in rate proceedings, says the Environmental Protection Agency has estimated Indiana will need to spend 14-billion dollars on water and sewer line upgrades over the next 20 years.
Some of that reflects the costs of compliance with new federal regulations on storm sewer runoff.
"Perhaps older systems, more prevalent in the northwestern part of our state, Fort Wayne, Evansville, of course, Indianapolis, you tend to find those types of issues maybe a little more accentuated than you would find in other parts of the state," added Stippler.
Many cities face the same dilemma that Citizens faces in Indy: pipes which were laid more than 100 years ago are made of cast iron or wood which is starting to corrode or decay.
Whereas water lines may be relatively new in communities like Fishers where the population has ballooned only recently.