Infrastructure includes more than just streets driven on and power lines walked under. Many pieces of infrastructure exist beneath the ground that citizens rarely think about. The Crossroads Lift Station, located on Union Street, is part of vital sewage infrastructure within the City of Lake Station.
City of Lake Station Mayor Bill Carroll’s main focus is prioritizing infrastructure. His philosophy is that infrastructure can establish the foundation for new businesses and residents to flock to the city in the future, bringing jobs and new opportunities such as increased funding to schools due to higher enrollment.
“Right now we are building a foundation for our future,” Carroll said. “Lake Station – for numerous years – has had trouble with sewer and stormwater. This is just the first of many phases we are doing to enhance our city. We have created a 10-year master plan to fix issues that should have been fixed years ago.”
The Crossroads Lift Station, which was built in the 1960s, is years overdue for a change.
Lift stations, also known as pumping stations, are used to move waste water to the elevation of the pipeline that leads to a treatment facility. These pipelines use gravity to lead the waste to treatment facilities. Lift stations are needed when waste water enters the system at a lower level than the main pipelines. Without lift stations, this system would require extra trenches dug and pipelines laid throughout a city.
Lake Station’s use of lift stations is beneficial to citizens because a few lift stations are far less expensive than a new pipe system. They also take up less construction time and are more efficient, preventing roads from being blocked and having taxpayer dollars ready for use elsewhere.
“There’s going to be six, brand new lift stations,” Infrastructure Project Leader Dwayne Polarek said. “This pump station’s lifespan has long passed, and it is no longer economical to maintain this pump station with the electric cost. This new pump also has sensors that will alert staff of issues prior to them becoming major problems. It also has an on-site generator so city workers won’t have to worry about this particular station during an outage.”
“This was a group effort between the congressman’s office, the Army Corps, and Lake Station’s civic workers,” said Carroll. “We’re very grateful to the congressman for believing in Lake Station and giving us a chance to help the everyday lives of the people in this city.”
This new station will now be able to pump 1,600 gallons per minute. It includes new electrical building and its own generator, and all control and electrical panels are above 100-year flood levels.
“10 years from now, we will be a completely different city,” Carroll said. “We are going to be a player in Northwest Indiana, we are going to be a leader in Northwest Indiana, and we are going to show our community that we are not only here for now, but for the future as well.”
For more information visit the City of Lake Station’s website at https://www.lakestation-in.gov/.
