Water and Wastewater

Basic infrastructure, especially adequate water and wastewater facilities, is essential for attracting economic development. This necessary framework is also one of the most costly systems to support for local governments. Several systems in the KIPDA region still have clay and asbestos-cement (AC) pipes that were installed in the early to mid-1900s. Miles of these lines are nearing the end of their useful service life and require strategic replacement planning in order to maintain the quality of the region’s infrastructure and to support future commercial and industrial growth. 

Maintaining a strong asset inventory and GIS database is an integral component of being able to plan for infrastructure improvements and prioritizing funding for projects. The KIPDA region works with the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority (KIA) to maintain the Water Resource Information System (WRIS) Portal. This portal houses all of the data regarding the region’s water and wastewater systems and information about projects on the horizon that will improve their functionality.  

Proper planning and effective communication between systems through the leadership of the Regional Water Management Council has made it easier to identify needs and prioritize projects that will lead to more economic development opportunities.  

By 2030, the region is projected to be home to more than 1,116,750 people, an 11% increase from 2016. Not only does water and wastewater infrastructure need to be maintained, but design capacity must be increased in order to accommodate these additional residents. Properly guided sustainable development that focuses on density and building closer to higher capacity areas will help mitigate the stress on the systems that will come with this population growth.  

An emphasis on long-term planning is encouraged to help systems plan more holistically and to not take such a reactionary approach in their operations. Regionalization is often found to be effective when striving for efficiency and cost effectiveness, however, it is not always the answer, especially when it comes to quality control and concerns with disinfection by-products due to water age. 

STRATEGIES

Update aging and deteriorating infrastructure

  1. Maintain and enhance asset inventory on Kentucky Infrastructure Authority (KIA) Water Resource Information System (WRIS) Portal.
  2. Prioritize areas with the worst aging infrastructure in the KIPDA region.
  3. Maintain an inventory of privately owned wastewater package treatment plants in the region, their condition and priority list to either rehab or decommission them.

Increase capacity of existing water and wasterwater systems

  1. Encourage residential development to occur within higher capacity areas.
  2. Plan for adequate flow capacity for business development.

Support expansion of water and wastewater infrastructure to industrial parks

  1. Plan for efficient connectivity between existing infrastructure and where industrial development is most likely to occur.

Continue coordination between water and wastewater systems to maintain and improve upon necessary regional infrastructure

  1. Encourage increased collaboration between local government agencies, water and wastewater systems, and public or private sector developers to better plan for future infrastructure needs.
  2. Coordinate regional water and wastewater planning to include creative funding solutions.
  3. Continue to encourage long-term planning for sustainable water and wastewater infrastructure through the KIPDA Regional Water Management Council.

Future Milestones

  • Complete and accurate inventory illustrating the region’s worst aging and deteriorating infrastructure
  • Offer adequate capacity to support business looking to build or relocate
  • Create an inventory of industrial parks most suitable and likely for expansion
  • Water and wastewater planning done on a more long-term regional level with diversified funding avenues

Metrics

  • Number of water and sewer customers with new or replaced connections
  • Number of privately owned waste water package treatment plants taken off of line
  • Number of projects with joint system collaborative efforts
  • Number of industrial parks with increased water and sewer capacity
  • Total number of miles of water and wastewater infrastructure that has been repaired or replaced
  • Total volume of water and wastewater excess capacity in the region

Success Stories

WIELAND NORTH AMERICA INC.
Wieland North America Inc. broke ground for a new recycling facility in Shelbyville, Kentucky, on June 29th, 2022. The $100 million copper alloy recycling facility will initially create up to 75 quality jobs for local Shelby County residents, with more planned for the future. The recycling plant will melt and recycle copper and copper alloy scrap for use in manufacturing semi-finished products for customers throughout North America and is also Wieland’s first manufacturing facility in the state of Kentucky.

With this $100 million dollar investment in Shelby County, Wieland is continuing to deliver on its commitment to sustainability, recycling leadership and advancement toward a circular economy and carbon neutrality. The facility in Shelbyville will leverage the latest and most efficient technology while assisting Wieland with expanding its market leadership in the United States. Wieland is currently the leading manufacturer and converter of copper and copper-alloy sheets, strips, foil, tube and fabricated components in North America. While primarily processing copper and copper-alloys, they also re-roll and form other metals such as stainless and carbon steel. Their products are used in five primary end markets: building and construction, munitions, automotive, coinage, and electronics/electrical components.

In order to provide for the collection and treatment of the wastewater discharge from the new copper manufacturing facility, 2,500 linear feet of new 12-inch gravity sewer line needed to be ran to an unserved area of 79 acres of land on the Norfolk Southern property located off of Isaac Shelby Drive in Shelbyville, Kentucky. The new sewer line was tied into the Shelbyville Municipal Water & Sewer Commission’s 10-inch main, which feeds other parts of the industrial park. The line will also be used to support future growth on the remaining 200 developable acres in the Norfolk Southern Industrial Park area.

The Kentuckiana Regional Planning and Development Agency (KIPDA) assisted the Shelbyville Municipal Water & Sewer Commission with applying for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) in the amount of $850,000 to fully fund this gravity sewer line project. Once awarded, KIPDA also administered the grant and conducted the Environmental Assessment for the project.

Wieland North America has announced that they are committed to operating within the Shelby County community and will provide 45 full-time jobs within their first two years of operation, 22 of which will go to low-to-moderate income residents. To encourage the investment and job growth in the community, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) preliminarily approved a 15-year incentive agreement with Wieland North America under the Kentucky Business Investment Program. The performance-based agreement can provide up to $6 million in tax incentives based on the company’s current investment, and to accommodate future expansion up to a total $250 million and annual targets of:

  • Creation and maintenance of 225 Kentucky-resident, full-time jobs across 15 years; and
  • Paying an average hourly wage of $30 including benefits across those jobs.

The Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) also approved Wieland for up to $750,000 in tax incentives through the Kentucky Enterprise Initiative Act (KEIA). KEIA allows approved companies to recoup Kentucky sales and use tax on construction costs, building fixtures, equipment used in research and development and electronic processing. By meeting its annual targets over the agreement term, Wieland can be eligible to keep a portion of the new tax revenue it generates. The company may claim eligible incentives against its income tax liability and/or wage assessments. In addition, Wieland can receive resources from the Kentucky Skills Network. Through the Kentucky Skills Network, companies can receive no-cost recruitment and job placement services, reduced-cost customized training and job training incentives.