An educated response is necessary concerning Mr. Beeching's support of sewers at Tippecanoe Lake and its inclusion in the Lakeland Regional Sewer District.
Lot sizes as being too small: Our County Board of Health approves approximately 10 new septic systems per year at Tippecanoe Lake due to home teardowns or rebuilds and approximately 12 per year for out-of-date, slow-functioning systems. All are approved according to county and state regulations.
Soil type at Tippecanoe Lake unsuitable for septic absorption fields: stated from a U.S. Department of Agriculture study. But the county will only approve septic systems with adequate drainage, filtering and absorption in accordance with state and county regulations.
Lots in 100-year flood plain: only part of most Tippecanoe Lake front lots are in or near the 100-years flood plain, but our septics and leech beds are in the back near the road, well outside the flood plain - the vast majority of Tippecanoe lakefront homeowners.
A report in 1997 by JF New and Associates and their statement of poor or failing septic systems: The study clearly states an assumption of poorly functioning or failed septic systems to arrive at the high estimate of 5 to 22 percent of bad septics delivering phosphorus to Tippecanoe Lake. Even using this assumption, 78 to 95 percent of Tippecanoe Lake septics systems are functioning properly. The report states the Tippecanoe River and Grassy creek contribute most of the nutrients to Lake James (Little Tippy) and Tippecanoe Lake. Numerous ditches and creeks are also major nutrient, sediment and coliform contributors.
A 2001 Indiana State of Environment report concerning ground water contamination in the Tippecanoe Lake Area: According to Bob Weaver, head of the Kosciusko County Board of Health, the average well depth around Tippecanoe Lake is 75-100 feet (minimum 45 feet) and there have been no problems of ground water contamination. All new wells are tested for bacteria and nitrates. FYI: The North Webster Wastewater Treatment Plant, which discharges into a Tippecanoe Lake ditch upstream, does not treat for bacteria from Nov. 1 to March 30 (as all Indiana waste plants).
Little Tippy, tested for e.coli every Monday (due to the summer camps), was just rated as excellent for July 13 test. Big Tippy is also tested and is rated just as high too. According to Bob Weaver, there is not an e.coli problem within our Tippecanoe Lakes. In fact, he states there is not a septic problem or well/ground water problem at Tippecanoe Lake.
People who want a year-round home, expand or a garage on too small of a lot cannot get approval for bigger septic systems and want a lake sewer system. There still has not been factual date supporting sewers in the Tippecanoe Lake area (Staton Lake resident too). The inclusion of Tippecanoe Lake in the Lakeland Regional Sewer District will create overdevelopment and increased pressure on our lake. An unnecessary, huge, costly burden.
