SPEEDWAY, Ind. (WISH) — The Speedway town government has moved forward with a state-mandated $15 million to $18 million expansion of its wastewater treatment plant, with higher bills ahead for its customers. On Monday, town officials introduced a sewer rate ordinance to fund the project, wh ich was required under an agreement with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. Under the order, the town must improve its infrastructure to better handle stormwater without overflows. Construction bids for the project are scheduled to open publicly on March 5. A public hearing on the rate hike ordinance was set for 7 p.m. March 9 at the Speedway Municipal Center, 5300 Crawfordsville Road. Plans call for the construction of a combined sewer tank and a separate wet-weather treatment facility. Crews will also replace and modernize ultraviolet disinfection equipment, and complete other upgrades to ensure the facility meets operational compliance standards. Because there are no state grants available to offset the costs, the town will finance the $15 million to $18 million project through sewer revenue bonds, to be repaid over a period of about 20 years. A news release issued Monday night said the financing plan will result in higher monthly bills for local utility customers. For an average household using 4,000 gallons of water per month, the increase is estimated from $8 to $12 per month for every 1,000 gallons used. The current minimum monthly charge of approximately $26 would rise to approximately $38 under the proposed ordinance. The Marion County town of Speedway has just over 14,200 residents. This story was formatted for WISHTV.com using AI-assisted tools. Our editorial team reviews and edits all content published to ensure it meets our journalistic standards for accuracy and fairness. Speedway officials address raw sewage discovery at The Legend apartments ...read more read less