The Hometown Treasure May 2012 | Page 22

Topeka Town News The Town of Topeka is updating their ten year WHPA, and this is a brief history of it: Notice to property owners, lease holders and owners of mineral rights located within the Town of Topeka’s Wellhead Protection Areas (WHPAs). In March of 1997, the State of Indiana passed a law to protect groundwater that is used by public water suppliers. The law is referred to as the Wellhead Protection Plan. The basic principle is to protect the water before it flows into the wells that are used by public and private water users. Topeka water department has obtained approval from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to use a radius of 0.40 square miles around their wells as our area of protection (Wellhead protection Area). The Town of Topeka utilizes three wells in one well field to obtain their drinking water. Therefore, they have a WHPA. The area contained in the WHPA is almost all within the Towns corporate limits. If you own or lease property in one of Topeka’s WHPA we are asking for your cooperation in keeping this area free of contamination. If you know of any sources of contamination, please call the Water Superintendent, Tom Sheline at 260-593-3407. by Ron Eash Remember to practice good environmental methods such as proper disposal of all chemicals, oil, antifreeze, animal waste, household cleaners, paint, etc. Keep your septic systems in good working condition. Properly plug abandoned old wells. Properly dispose of