Citizens Energy Group and the City of Indianapolis have completed a $1.9 billion transfer of the community’s water and wastewater utilities to Citizens, a public charitable trust that operates like a not-for-profit.
The water and wastewater systems, which bill customers under the Indianapolis Water name, are now being operated as Citizens Water.
Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard said, “This historic transfer will make Indianapolis a better place to live and do business by making our rivers and streams cleaner, bringing more consistency to these vital utilities, and saving utility customers money through rates that will be lower than they otherwise would have been. This transfer will benefit our community for generations.”
The transfer is expected to result in $60 million in annual savings that will help Citizens reduce projected water and wastewater rate increases 25 percent by the year 2025. The City will receive $425 million from the transfer to fund its Rebuild Indy initiative that is making repairs to parks, bridges, streets, and sidewalks, and removing hundreds of abandoned homes throughout the city.
Citizens Water assumes operations of the water utility from Veolia Water Indianapolis (Veolia), and nearly all former Veolia employees are now Citizens employees. Citizens Water has assumed the City’s contract with United Water to operate the wastewater system.
Customers will continue to call the following numbers until the utility’s call centers can be combined. Customers with a current Indianapolis Water bill should pay that bill. Their next bill will read Citizens Water.
Citizens Water – For water, sewer and flooding/drainage issues call: (317) 631-1431. Full call center operations will resume by noon on Aug. 29.
Citizens Gas – For natural gas service issues call: (317) 924-3311.
The Indianapolis Water website has been replaced with the new Citizens Water site at: www.CitizensWater.com
More information about the utility transfer is available at www.indy.gov/utilities or www.CitizensEnergyGroup.com.
