A 2015 study by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission found northern Indiana’s groundwater resources are considered good to excellent with access to several surface water sources, most notably Lake Michigan.
Southern Indiana has the most limited supply of groundwater, but access to several rivers for surface supply.
Some reservoirs do exist in southern Indiana, but drinking water supplies are not fully allocated, the study found.
Overall, the number of general rate increase requests, which excludes trackers, was similar to those made in 2013, with eight water utilities approved for a rate increase.
Mike Pence signed Senate Bill 347 into law, which repealed the regulation requiring the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission to collect from all water utilities data regarding use of water resources within Indiana.
But while Jesse Kharbanda, president of the Hoosier Environmental Council, agrees the state will see an increase in water need as long as population and industrial use increases, he argues natural preservation and increased water quality is equally important.
The Mounds Lake Project, backed by the Corporation for Economic Development, would see a dam installed on the White River, creating a 2,100-acre lake near downtown Anderson. The CED says this would not only supply water, but also spur economic development.
The HEC introduced its own project, the Mounds Greenway, which would create a walking and biking route along the White River, preserving the natural landscape and, the HEC argues, also allowing for local development.