Learn about Citizens Energy Group, including Featured News, Key Projects, The Team, and Sustainability.
Operating for the benefit of our customers and communities, Citizens Energy Group is a public trust providing clean, efficient and reliable energy services to customers throughout the Indianapolis area.
Each year, Citizens Energy Group invests hundreds of millions of dollars in its utility systems to ensure safety, reliability and protection of our environment. Our investments also provide thousands of good-paying jobs and support economic development across Central Indiana.
Citizens is making unprecedented investments in our community's water and wastewater (sewer) infrastructure leading to immeasurable benefits for the people and environment of Central Indiana.
INDIANAPOLIS – Citizens Energy Group’s new Citizens Reservoir has been named 2020 Project of the Year by the American Society of Civil Engineers (Indiana Section). The award recognizes the most outstanding or unique project built in Indiana and completed during the current or past year.
Citizens Vice President of Water Operations Jeff Willman said, “We are very pleased to receive the Project of the Year Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers (Indiana Section). Citizens Reservoir is a transformational project for Central Indiana and will be vital to ensuring adequate water supply for Citizens’ eight-county service area for many years to come.”
Citizens Reservoir is 230 feet deep, has a surface area of 90 acres, and holds approximately 3 billion gallons of water. It is located adjacent to Geist Reservoir along Olio Road. Construction on Citizens Reservoir was completed in late 2020, and it was filled with water from Geist Reservoir in early 2021. During dry periods, up to 30 million gallons per day of stored water can be pumped from Citizens Reservoir into Geist Reservoir and allowed to flow downstream to Citizens’ Fall Creek Water Treatment Plant and White River Water Treatment Plant for processing and distribution throughout Central Indiana.
To learn more about Citizens Reservoir and how it will benefit Central Indiana – and to view videos giving you a front-row seat to this historic project – click here.
Customers Previously Disconnected Asked to Contact Utility Immediately
INDIANAPOLIS – Citizens Energy Group is asking customers whose utility services have been turned off for non-payment to call the utility at **(317) 924-3311 **to have their service reconnected. Citizens will work to reconnect customers as soon as possible.
“Because of the importance of hand washing and hygiene during the COVID-19 emergency, Citizens urges all customers without water and/or natural gas service to call us immediately,” said Jeffrey Harrison, President & CEO of Citizens Energy Group. “During this serious public health emergency, Citizens is working to do everything it can to help customers in need.”
Citizens will accept whatever payment customers can make to reconnect their service and will use assistance from various sources to help with the outstanding balances until those funds are depleted. Because of the nature of this crisis, preference for reconnection will be given to water and wastewater customers first, then natural gas customers.
Citizens also is suspending utility disconnections during the COVID-19 public health emergency, in accordance with an executive order issued on March 19 by Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb. The utility had previously announced suspension of all utility disconnections through April 15. Citizens is waiving deposits, late fees and reconnection fees during this period as well.
It may take some time to turn services back on, but Citizens employees will work as safely and quickly as possible. For the safety of our customers and employees, Citizens asks that customers not approach our employees while they are performing this work. We request that customers follow social distancing recommendations issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that call for maintaining a 6-foot distance between people.
Citizens urges customers to utilize the various self-service functions available on its website at www.CitizensEnergyGroup.com, given the expected increase in call volume to its Contact Center. Citizens also encourages anyone who would like to help provide financial assistance to customers in need to donate via Warm Heart Warm Home.
“We appreciate the patience of our customers as we process these reconnect orders. Citizens stands ready to continue providing safe, reliable utility service to the community as it endures the hardships of the COVID-19 emergency,” said Harrison.
Citizens Energy Group provides safe and reliable utility services to about 800,000 people in the Indianapolis area. Citizens operates its utilities only for the benefit of customers and the community.
Dan Considine
(C) 317-519-1515
media@citizensenergygroup.com
Service Interruptions Due to COVID-19 Not Expected
INDIANAPOLIS – Citizens Energy Group is well prepared to ensure its vital utility services are not interrupted during the COVID-19 emergency.
Water from Citizens continues to be safe for our customers. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), COVID-19 has not been detected in drinking water. Conventional water treatment methods that use filtration and disinfection, such as those used at Citizens, should remove or inactivate the virus that causes COVID-19.
Citizens operates multiple water and wastewater treatment facilities serving Indianapolis and the surrounding area. These facilities continuously meet or exceed U.S. EPA requirements and are well equipped to continue providing safe, reliable service to customers.
As always, Citizens urges customers to call (317) 924-3311 if they suspect a natural gas leak at their home or business. Citizens personnel are prepared to immediately come on site to inspect for a leak and will follow special procedures during their visit to ensure the health and safety of customers.
Citizens has suspended utility service disconnections until April 15. All customers are urged to do their best to stay current on their utility bills. Customers who need assistance should call Citizens at (317) 924-3311. Representatives will work with individual customers to determine whether they qualify for assistance and/or set up flexible payment arrangements.
For answers to frequently asked questions and for updates as they arise, visit www.citizensenergygroup.com/COVID-19.
Citizens Energy Group provides safe and reliable utility services to about 800,000 people in the Indianapolis area. Citizens operates its utilities only for the benefit of customers and the community.
Dan Considine
(C) 317-519-1515
media@citizensenergygroup.com
What is DigIndy?
The DigIndy Tunnel System is a 28-mile long network of 18-foot diameter deep rock tunnels being built 250-feet beneath the city. Along with other projects in the combined sewer system and at Citizens two advanced wastewater treatment plants, the $2 billion program is Indy’s solution to reducing combined sewer overflows into area waterways by up to 97 percent, and keeping the utility in compliance with a Consent Decree with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The Problem
Combined sewers convey both storm water and wastewater (sewage) in one piping system. Historically, more than 800 communities across the United States built combined sewers once indoor plumbing became commonplace in the late 1800s.
During normal rain events with ¼-inch of rainfall or more, the combined system capacity can become overwhelmed, resulting in a mixture of storm water and wastewater overflowing into area waterways. This is referred to as a combined sewer overflow (CSO) event, which causes a threat to public health and the environment.
The Benefits
Our water and wastewater investments will have enormous benefits on the quality of life and the local economy. Cleaner rivers and streams will lead to enhanced recreational opportunities and community revitalization across Central Indiana. At the same time, Citizens system investments will create thousands of good paying jobs.
*The information contained on this page only applies to projects going into construction in 2016 or after. All other STEP Project information can be found here.
If you are interested in knowing if your home or neighborhood is in a future STEP area please submit a Utility Availability Request.
In 2016, Citizens adopted a new approach to providing sewer service to properties currently being served by septic systems. As part of this new program, property owners will be able to pay one fee for connection and construction; to one entity (i.e. Citizens Energy Group) if they agree to participate in our program within the allotted time. (*Offer is only good for a limited time. See STEP Program Guide for more details.)
By participating in the Citizens STEP Program, property owners will no longer be required to hire their own contractor. However, if a property owner elects not to participate in Citizens STEP Program, they will still be required to connect and will need to hire a contractor.
Combined sewers convey both storm (rain) water and wastewater (sewage) in one piping system. Historically, more than 800 communities across the United States built combined sewers once indoor plumbing became commonplace in the late 1800s.
During normal rain events with ¼-inch of rainfall or more, the combined system capacity can become overwhelmed, resulting in a mixture of storm water and wastewater overflowing into area waterways. This is referred to as a combined sewer overflow (CSO) event, which causes a threat to public health and the environment.
Our Consolidated Collection Sewer (CCS) projects are working to mitigate CSOs in the parts of Indianapolis where overflows occur and cause the greatest negative impact to our rivers, streams and treatment system as a whole.
Consolidated Collection Sewer Projects (CCS)
A large and long-overdue sanitary sewer rehabilitation program is underway at Citizens. Tens of millions of dollars are being spent to rehabilitate pipes that have, in some cases, been untouched since they were installed in the 1800s. Citizens is addressing the backlog of needed repairs by employing cured-in-place piping (CIPP) contractors to rehabilitate the lines and extend their service life by another 50-plus years.
CIPP lining starts by precisely measuring the existing or "host" pipe to determine the diameter, length and service connection locations. A felt tube is then manufactured to those exact specifications, saturated with resin, and shipped to the job site. Steam or water pressure is used to "invert" the tube down the host pipe where it will be "cured" using steam or hot water. The curing process lasts a few hours, and when completed, provides a new seamless and structurally sound pipe. Robotic tools are used to reinstate all service connections; and, in most cases, the projects are completed without any disruptions to the customer's service.
Since taking ownership of the wastwater utility, Citizens has installed over 100,000 linear feet of CIPP from pipes ranging in size from 8 inches to 72 inches. This rehabilitation program provides several important benefits for Citizens customers including: revitalized assets providing economic development opportunities, increased reliability of service through reduced asset failures, and increased safety for the traveling public by reducing the possibility of catastrophic failures causing sinkholes or voids under the pavement.
Now with eight utilities - natural gas, steam, chilled water, water and wastewater, Citizens Energy Group is positioned better than ever to play a leadership role in making a more sustainable metropolitan area.
Sustainability & Social Responsibility Report 2017
View our Environmental Policy.
Citizens Sustainability Initiative - Ann McIver
Managing Our Central IN Watershed - Jill Hoffman
Citizens Integrated Water Resource Plan - Jeff Willman
