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Five billion gallons of sewage have now been prevented from entering waterways by the tunnel system as newly planted trees will store stormwater and sequester carbon.

INDIANAPOLIS – Citizens Energy Group employee volunteers today planted the 10,000th tree in the “10 Thousand Trees” initiative, achieving the multi-year goal set by a coalition of partners including Citizens Energy Group, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc. and the City of Indianapolis. Noting the appropriate timing of the planting on Arbor Day, community leaders celebrated the impact of the initiative in parks and neighborhoods across the city where trees will serve to hold stormwater and sequester carbon as an important complement to the DigIndy Tunnel System.

“Purposeful positioning of tree plantings above ground plays such a key role in what we are working to achieve deep underground with the DigIndy infrastructure: keeping wastewater from overflowing into our local waterways,” said Citizens Energy Group President & CEO Jeffrey Harrison. “Trees provide so many important benefits in our communities, including absorbing stormwater before it even enters our sewer systems.”

The active portions of the DigIndy Tunnel System already have prevented more than 5 billion gallons of sewage from entering local waterways. In comparison, this is 1.5 billion gallons greater than the total capacity of Citizens Reservoir in northeast Indianapolis. When completed in 2025, the DigIndy Tunnel System will divert at least 95 percent of all wastewater overflows from Indianapolis’ combined sewer systems away from nearby creeks and into Citizens facilities for treatment before safe release into the White River.

Employee volunteers from Citizens Energy Group gathered to plant approximately 60 trees at Windsor Village Park on the city’s far east side, including the ceremonial 10,000th tree. Other planting locations in years past have included Haughville Park, Frederick Douglass Park, and along roadways in neighborhoods across Indianapolis, as coordinated by Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc.

Pictures from today's event are at the bottom of this release.

“Today we pass a critical milestone in this partnership between Citizens Energy Group and Keep Indianapolis Beautiful,” said Jeremy Kranowitz, President and CEO of Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc. This powerful relationship is rare in the U.S., and we are fortunate in Indianapolis to share a vision for a city that is both greener and healthier. The 10,000 trees we have planted together, with volunteers across the city, are making dozens of neighborhoods cooler in the summer and less likely to flood during major rain events.”

Started in 2017 as a partnership between Citizens, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc. (KIB), and the Indianapolis Department of Public Works, tree plantings have been targeted within the city’s combined sewer area—generally older parts of the city where historic development linked stormwater and wastewater sewers, leading to sewer overflows into rivers during rain events. As described in Citizens’ recent 2023 Sustainability Report, the 10 Thousand Trees initiative was developed to provide up to an estimated one million gallons of natural stormwater storage during such rain events. As of year-end 2023, the tree-planting effort was also estimated to have sequestered more than 180 tons of carbon since the program began, with an increasing rate of carbon sequestration as trees mature.

“It’s impossible to fully grasp the tangible and intangible benefits that trees bring to our neighborhoods,” said Councilor Keith Graves, representing City-County Council District 9. “Windsor Village Park is a hub for community activity on the east side, and our neighbors will be breathing, feeling, and seeing the improved quality of life in this corner of the city of generations to come.”

About the DigIndy Tunnel System:
The DigIndy Tunnel System is a 28-mile 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 two advanced wastewater treatment plants, the $2 billion program is Indy’s solution to reducing combined sewer overflows into area waterways, keeping the utility and the City of Indianapolis in compliance with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Now more than a decade in the making, completed portions of the DigIndy Tunnel System have prevented 5 billion gallons of sewage from entering our local waterways. Construction will conclude and the entire system will be operational in 2025. 
Learn more about DigIndy online, and check out the 360 VR Tunnel Tour on YouTube. 

INDIANAPOLIS – Citizens Energy Group has secured $11 million in no-interest and forgivable loans from the Indiana Finance Authority (IFA) to accelerate its program to replace customer-owned lead service lines in Indianapolis neighborhoods. The multi-year lead service line replacement program was approved by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission.  

The total program is expected to cost approximately $500 million. It is estimated that approximately 55,000 customers in Citizens’ service territory own lead service lines connecting the utility’s water main to a home or business. Customer-owned lead service lines in Indianapolis are most commonly present in structures built before 1950. 

The lead service line replacement program which Citizens is implementing kicked off in 2022 with more than 400 homeowner-owned service lines replaced in the first year. A new focus area of the program will be its largest to date, taking place in the Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood. Citizens has closely collaborated with neighborhood and city stakeholders to prepare for construction. 

“As a partner in the broader community effort to enhance the overall quality of life for Martindale Brightwood residents, the coalition of neighborhood partners is excited about the significant investments being made to improve livability,” said Barato Britt, President and CEO of the Edna Martin Christian Center. “With residents and stakeholders presently engaged in a new Quality of Life Plan, external partners like Citizens Energy Group have lent valuable input and resources consistent with the neighborhood's goals and demands. We're pleased that this deserving community has been identified for this critical investment.” 

Program areas are prioritized based on several factors, including the number of known or suspected lead service lines in an area, the potential for health risks, neighborhood economic impacts, and inter-agency coordination ahead of other planned infrastructure work in the area, which helps lessen construction impacts and overall project costs. 

Citizens regularly monitors tap water in accordance with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to confirm that finished water is safe for drinking. In addition to regular water monitoring, Citizens takes steps during the water treatment process to ensure finished drinking water has the proper quality to help protect against lead leaching out of customer-owned lead service lines and plumbing. Full replacement of customer-owned service lines as outlined in the program gives the highest protection against the presence of lead in drinking water. 

"This funding is a significant investment not only in infrastructure, but in the lives of Hoosiers in some of Indianapolis’ most historic communities,” IDEM Commissioner Brian Rockensuess said. “Private lead service lines are the most common source of lead in water. Replacing these pipes ensures water arriving in homes is at safe health standards and is a vital upgrade that may be out of reach for people to make on an individual basis.” 

About the Lead Service Line Replacement Program, implemented by Citizens Energy Group:

Tens of thousands of Citizens customers own homes or buildings which were connected to the water system prior to 1950 and also own the water service lines which are therefore more likely to be made of lead or contain lead. Approved in 2022, the LSLRP is a multi-year program to investigate customer-owned service lines that may contain lead and replace them at no additional cost to the customer.

Citizens regularly monitors tap water from customers’ homes in accordance with U.S. EPA’s Lead and Copper Rule and remains fully compliant with all federal and state water quality requirements. Still, the surest method to avoid lead exposure in drinking water is to fully replace customer-owned service lines made of lead or containing lead-based connections. Replacements will be accomplished in several ways: in coordination with infrastructure improvement projects; in proactive focus neighborhoods; or as initiated by customers for the upgrade or maintenance of their own service line.

Learn more about the lead service line replacement program which Citizens is implementing by clicking here. 

About Citizens Energy Group
Citizens Energy Group provides safe and reliable utility services to about 900,000 people in the Indianapolis area. Citizens operates its utilities for the benefit of customers and the community.

_As Citizens accelerates Lead Service Line Replacement Program in 2024, crews will work with Indy DPW to complete replacements at buildings adjacent to road construction zones, including along E New York and E Michigan streets. _

INDIANAPOLIS – Citizens Energy Group today announced a collaboration with the Indianapolis Department of Public Works (Indy DPW) to complete lead service line replacements for homes and buildings along city crews' upcoming roadway construction zones. With service line replacements beginning in the next days and weeks along E New York and E Michigan streets, the partnership on roadway capital projects is one of several ways Citizens will accelerate the lead service line replacement program in 2024.

Citizens and Indy DPW made the announcement Monday at a site along E Michigan Street where Citizens will soon complete lead service line replacements ahead of Indy DPW's coming work to convert the roadway to two-way traffic. In their remarks, city and community leaders noted the efficiency accomplished by the collaboration--residents will see two different projects completed more quickly, without multiple excavations of the roadway. An image from the press announcement is at the bottom of this release.

"When we work together, it is our customers—the residents of Indianapolis—who share in the benefits of more efficient, less intrusive construction projects," said Citizens Energy Group CEO and President Jeffrey Harrison.

The lead service line replacement program Citizens is implementing will replace all customer-owned service lines made of lead at homes and buildings across Indianapolis at no additional cost for customers. While there is no lead in water distributed to Citizens customers, the surest way to provide the highest protection against lead exposure in drinking water is through full replacement for customers who own lead service lines.

"On one hand, we are removing the potential for exposure to lead in drinking water by replacing property owners’ lead service lines," said Mayor Joe Hogsett. "But with a two-way conversion, we are restoring part of that ‘neighborhood’ feeling these streets once had."

As part of the two-way street conversion capital projects, E Michigan and E New York street--between College Avenue and Ellenberger Park--are two of the initial collaboration zones with Indy DPW for lead service line replacement; this is in addition to W Michigan Street alongside Indy DPW's West Michigan Street Road Diet project. Citizens customers in these areas with lead service lines have received or will soon receive mailed packets with information on how to participate in a replacement from Citizens crews.

The multi-year lead service line replacement program kicked off in 2022, with Citizens crews replacing more than 400 service lines in the first year. Citizens will accelerate the program in 2024 by increasing replacements through partnerships on roadway capital projects; maintenance- or resident-initiated replacements; and proactive replacements in designated focus neighborhoods.

Citizens and Indy DPW regularly work together to increase efficiencies on capital projects, and both have indicated interest in further aligning lead service line replacements and roadways improvements where possible to more quickly and efficiently upgrade infrastructure for Indy’s neighborhoods. 

About the Lead Service Line Replacement Program, implemented by Citizens Energy Group:

Tens of thousands of Citizens customers own buildings which were connected to the water system prior to 1950 and also own service lines that are made of lead or contain lead. Approved in 2022, the LSLRP is a multi-year program to investigate customer-owned service lines that may contain lead and replace them at no additional cost to the customer.

Citizens Energy Group does not have any active water mains made of lead in our distribution system. Citizens regularly monitors tap water from customers’ homes in accordance with U.S. EPA’s Lead and Copper Rule. No elevated levels of lead have been found through regular monitoring of Citizens’ system. Still, the surest method to avoid lead exposure in drinking water is to fully replace customer-owned infrastructure (service lines) containing lead or lead-based connections. Replacements will be accomplished in several ways: in coordination with capital improvement projects; in proactive focus neighborhood areas; or as initiated by customers for the upgrade or maintenance of their own service line.