Utility Operations

Duties

The East Chicago Sanitary District, Wastewater Division Collects, conveys, and treats wastewater. The Sanitary District service area is approximately ten square miles. The collection system/sewer piping is approximately 72 miles long and varying in size from 8 to 96 inches in diameter.

Staff

The Wastewater Treatment Plant has approximately 35 employees that

  • Maintain grounds
  • Maintain, operate, and clean sewers
  • Perform all administrative duties
  • Repair the sewer system

Wastewater Treatment Plant

Once the wastewater enters into the collection system, it is then pumped to the Wastewater Treatment Plant, located at:
5201 Indianapolis Boulevard

We have 11 Pumping Stations throughout the City of East Chicago. They consist of Sanitary, Stormwater and combination of both. The facility was rehabilitated in 1988 as a Three Stage Wastewater Treatment Plant.

2019 CSO Spring Cleaning - Phase 1

Mayor Anthony Copeland and the East Chicago Sanitary District are announcing the first Phase of the CSO - main sewer line annual cleaning effective March 25th.

Areas of Cleanup

The Sanitary District team will start with the areas listed below and detailed on the attached map in the following order:

  1. Marktown Area 
  2. New Edition Area
  3. North Side Area
  4. West Calumet Area 

What to Expect

During the sewer cleaning process residents may encounter possible sewer backups and odor in their homes due to the high pressure cleaning system the city’s Freightliner Vactor truck puts out. Therefore as a precautionary measure, the city recommends you cover all floor drains, sinks, showers, and toilets located throughout your home to avoid these issues. 

Every effort will be made to inform the residents as the city approaches the specific targeted areas listed above with street closures through flyers, Nixel, and the city website.

Contact Us

This first Phase of the CSO - main sewer line annual cleaning is necessary and will be done in a safe and efficient manner. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. If you have any questions, please call Joe Wright at 219-391-8466. We thank you for your patience and cooperation during this process.