FAQs

FAQs
What is the difference between storm sewers and sanitary sewers?
Storm sewers drain rain water, snow melt and runoff, which return to rivers, streams and eventually Lake Michigan.  Sanitary sewers contain waste water from your household, which return to sanitary district treatment plants.
Who maintains the storm sewers for the streets?
Merrillville Stormwater Utility.
Who maintains sanitary sewers?
Sanitary sewers are maintained by private companies. If you have a problem with your sanitary service, you'll need to contact the company that services your area.

view - Sanitary Sewer District Map

Merrillville Conservancy District

6251 Broadway
Merrillville, IN 46410
Phone: 219.472.8000

24 Hour Emergency Phone: 219.222.2617

Independence Hill Conservancy District

7507 Taft Street
Suites 2 & 3
Merrillville, IN 46410
Phone: 219.769.3996

Website:  click here

Gary Sanitary District

3600 West 3rd Avenue
Gary, IN 46406
Phone:  219.944.0595

Website:  click here
Who maintains water lines and water mains in the town?
Utilities are maintained by private water companies. If you have a problem with your water service, you'll need to contact the water company that services your area.
 
Water utility companies that service the Town of Merrillville:

Indiana-American Water Company, Inc.

650 Madison Street
Gary, IN 46402

Phone: 1.800.492.8373
Phone: 219.886.3770
Fax: 219.881.2209

Website:  click here

Indiana Water Service Corp.

2335 Sanders Road
North Brook, Illinois 60062
Phone: 1.800.831.2359

Website:  click here
What does MS4 mean?
Municipal separate storm sewer system.  The IDEM Rule 13 provides permit coverage for most MS4 entities.  The federal Clean Water Act requires storm water discharges from certain types of urbanized areas to be permitted under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program.
What should I do if the storm sewer near my home is not draining properly or is clogged, or there is a buildup of water on my street or near my driveway?
Call the Merrillville Stormwater Utility office at 219.472.8668, and we will come to your home and investigate the problem.
What is an illicit discharge?
An illicit discharge is a discharge into the storm sewer system that pollutes the storm drain system, which includes ditches, swales, streams, roadways drainage and street catch basins. Some types of illicit discharges are oil, paint, sanitary wastewater, vehicle fluids, household cleaners, solvents, weed killers and fertilizers and laundry wastewater.  Please report polluters by calling the Merrillville Stormwater Utility office at 219.472.8668.  If you are able to, please provide the date and location of incident, description of vehicle and license number, and any photo or video, if available.  For more information, please see our brochure titled "Illicit Discharges".
What can I do to keep the storm sewer drain in front of my house draining properly?
Never dump anything down storm drains or in ditches/creeks.  Keep leaves, grass and debris out of the streets, storm drains and ditches.  Don’t over fertilize your lawn.  Pick up after your pet and don’t feed Canadian geese.  Check your car for leaks and recycle your motor oil. Don’t use coal tar based sealants on driveways.
Who do I call if there is flooding on Broadway, Taft Street or U.S. 30?
Unless a joint road project with the state is occurring, the Town of Merrillville is not responsible for these roads because they are state roads.  Call the Indiana Dept. of Transportation, Gary Sub-District Office, at 219. 939.3901.
What should I do if my sump pump is not working correctly?
You will need to contact the company that installed it or a serviceman.
What should I do if I smell sanitary sewer back up on my property or near my home?
Contact the sanitary/conservancy district company that services your home (please see list above).
Who do I contact if I have a flooding or storm sewer problem, but I live in an unincorporated area?
You should call the Lake County Surveyor’s office at 219. 755.3745.
How do I find out if my home or a home that I am interested in purchasing is located in a flood zone?
Call the Merrillville Stormwater Utility Office at 219.472.8668 with the address of the property, and an answer will be provided promptly.  You can also check online at www.fema.gov.
I see a stormwater fee on my real estate tax bill.  What is this for?
Pursuant to the 1972 Clean Water Act, the Town of Merrillville established an ordinance for homeowners and owners of property to pay for stormwater improvements in the town.  The fee is $9 per month, or $108 per year for residential properties.  For fees other than residential, please see our brochure titled “Stormwater Utility Fee”.
I see on my real estate tax bill a Merrillville Conservancy District fee and a Little Calumet River fee?  What are these for?
The Merrillville Conservancy District (MCD) fee is for operation and maintenance of the sanitary infrastructure (such as underground pipes and materials they use). For further information about that fee, call MCD directly at 219.472.8000.  Their office is located at 6251 Broadway, Merrillville, IN 46410.


The Little Calumet River annual fee was approved by the Indiana General Assembly in 2012 for maintenance and completion of the levee along the Little Calumet River for all communities in the watershed that drain to the Little Calumet River.  For further information, call the Little Calumet River Basin Development Commission at 219.595.0599.  Their office is located at 900 Ridge Road, Suite H, Munster, IN 46321.
What are the benefits of having a rain barrel?
A rain barrel is a container that collects and stores rainwater from your roof that would otherwise be lost to runoff and diverted to storm drains and streams. The water in a rain barrel is typically used to water plants, trees, shrubs and lawns.  It will save you money! Lawn and garden watering make up nearly 40% of total household water use during the summer.  A rain barrel will save most homeowners about 1,300 gallons of water during the peak summer months. It will help save the environment!  Saving water not only helps protect the environment, it saves you money and energy (a decreased demand for treated tap water).  It is better for plants and gardens  because rainwater stored in rain barrels is a naturally soft water and devoid of minerals, chlorine, fluoride and other chemicals.
What are the benefits of having trees on my property?
The planting of trees means improved water quality, resulting in less stormwater runoff and erosion. This allows more recharging of the ground water supply. Wooded areas help prevent the transport of sediment and chemicals into streams.  Landscaping, especially with trees, can increase property values by as much as 20 percent.