Sewage Situation Must Be Changed - 1933

Antique Methods Form Typhoid Threat to Community

Act By Sept. 1

State Health Department Makes Unfavorable Report of Water Analysis

Offical disapproval of Culver's antiquated sewage system is embodied in a report received by Health Office J. W. RIggens from the state Board of Health as a result of an analysis of the water in Lake Maxinkuckee.

This report states that the seweage poruing into the lake at the end of Jesserson street is a health menace and against the state law.

The town is ordered to make immediate steps to remedy the condition and to reort the action taken by September 1st.

The recommendations include the excluding of partially treated sewage from the lake by building a sanitary sewer system, to place storm sewer outlet farther away from the swimming beach, and to clean out the growth in the lake that has resulted from the sewer discharge.

The test of the lake water at the swimming beach is rated as "only fairly satisfactory" and subject to "intermittent gross polution". The constant threat of tyhoid is emphasized in the report. which follows in full:

REPORT OF The INVESTIGATION OF SANITARY CONDITION OF THE NORtH END OF LAKE MAXINKUCKEE, CULVER, INDIANA

Early in JUne, an inspection was made of Lake Maxinkuckee with a view of protecting the water of the lake from pollution.

how sewage is handled by all the citizens it may be found that even raw sewage is discharged into the storm sewer which we believe to be in violation of the town ordinance.

The rule SE-13 entitled Prohibiting Pollution of Lakes read as follows:

1 The discharge of untreated or insufficiently treated sewage into any lake in Indiana shall be prohibited

2 THis rulle shall be in full force and effect on and after January 1, 1926

3 Untreated and insufficiently treated sewage, under the meaning of this order, shall inculded all liquid wated from residences, business buildings, institutions, public or private and from industrial and other establishments which have not been subjected to proper and sufficient treatment to remove impurities to a degree which will render them incapable of contaminating any of the lakes to the detriment of public health.

The fact is know to the citizens of the town of Culver that Lake Maxinkuckee is one of the most beaituful and popular matural lakes of Indiana and should remain as such. This lake is the one important asset to the town and any pollution whatsoever by the town ot Culver if the public should be imformed would injure the town and must be eliminated.

It should be stressed at this time that the Culver Military Academty safegaurds the lake in every way.

In the past few years certain properties have been purchased by the directors of the Academy and all chances of pollution and sanatary conoditions have been mose carefull scrutinized and studied and all pollution from spetic tanks which originally may have discharged into small streams leading to the lake, has been collected and is now pumped to the Academy sewage treatment plant or absorbed in the ground away from any wells used for water supply.

The town of Culver should beutify its lake front with a park or well defined landscaping and should require any industry located on the lake shores to make their grounds at least sanitary and pleasing to the eye.

With this in view the cove filled with water vegetation should be cleaned of this growth.

Reviewing the rules of the inspection and the investigation the Bureau of Sanitary Engineering recommends the following:

1 The Partially treated sweage from the town of Culver be kept out of Lake Maxkinkuckee
a. By either intercepting the dry water fllow of the storm sewer and pumping the sewage to a treatment plant or the best method would be to construct a sanitary sewer system and discharge the sewage to a sewage treatment works keepng any partially treated effluents from the lake


2 After all sewage and sewage matters are taken care of to lead the storm water with the street washings and storm water way

(continued on page 5) Citizen - Aug 16 1933