Indiana American Water Completes $24.5M Main Project

Indiana American Water has substantially completed a $24.5 million water transmission main project in Gary, with Rex Construction serving as primary contractor. The work includes approximately 10,000 feet of water main and replaced more than 100 lead service lines. It replaced more than 70-year-old 16-inch and 20-inch mains with new 24-inch to 36-inch pipe. One final connection remains at the Borman Park Water Treatment Plant.

Larger Mains Increase Capacity

The project includes approximately 6,000 feet of transmission main and 4,000 feet of distribution main serving neighborhood service lines. The transmission main carries treated water from Lake Michigan through the Borman Park Water Treatment Plant into the regional distribution network.

Albert Turner, engineering project manager at Indiana American Water, said:

“This project represents a significant investment in the long-term reliability of our water system. The previous transmission main had experienced numerous breaks over the years, which affected operations throughout the distribution system. Replacing this critical asset helps ensure we can continue providing reliable service to our customers across Northwest Indiana.”

Fire Protection And Lead Replacement

Indiana American Water installed ductile iron transmission mains and PVC distribution mains, increasing pipe diameter in key areas to improve fire flow capacity. Every service line connected to the transmission main that was identified as lead was replaced as part of the project.

Jacquelyne Byland, senior engineering manager at Indiana American Water, said:

“Part of this project was focused on modernizing our infrastructure and addressing facilities that had multiple needs for repairs. By upgrading and upsizing portions of the system, we have improved reliability for customers while also increasing fire flow capacity for the communities we serve.”

Indiana Infrastructure Investment

The Gary project forms part of Indiana American Water’s commitment to invest more than $200 million annually in water and wastewater infrastructure across Indiana.

Jacquelyne Byland, senior engineering manager at Indiana American Water, said:

“Every service line connected to this transmission main that was identified as lead was replaced as part of this project. This work not only improved the performance of our water system but also supports our ongoing efforts to remove lead service lines from the communities we serve.”