STATEHOUSE (Feb. 4, 2013) — The full Senate today approved State Sen. Jean Leising’s (R-Oldenburg) legislation to exempt some Indiana residents from being forced to join regional sewer districts. Senate Bill 204 passed by a 40-9 vote.

Current state law permits residents living on less than 10 acres of land to be forced to connect to a regional sewer district if there is one available within 300 feet of their property line, Leising said.

“This means residents, especially those in rural areas, could have to pay thousands of dollars to finance their own sewer connections,” Leising added. “It’s likely that most of these individuals already have working septic systems. My bill would provide common sense relief and eliminate undue burdens in these cases.” 

SB 204 would only allow regional sewage districts to require connection to sewage disposal systems if there is an available sanitary sewer line within 300 feet of the structure or source of the sewage discharge, rather than the property line.

Leising’s bill would not change the requirements for properties near lakes and bodies of water, as to ensure these resources would not become polluted.

SB 204 now moves to the Indiana House of Representatives for consideration.

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