There is a brewing public health disaster here in Alexandria, Indiana, and it is not on the front pages or in the town hall announcements, no, it is found in backyards that are filled with sewage, tap water that is viewed with suspicion and records that are clouded in financial mystery. A recent local crisis has evolved in the form of individual criticisms and has now forced a concern regarding the integrity of the local governance, safety in basic infrastructure and even the right of a community to know the truth.
At the center of this civic unrest is the quality and transparency surrounding the Alexandria Indiana water supply. Over those months the complainants ventured that they have experienced worrying symptoms: odorous tap water, discolored (and emitting) discharge in areas where sewage pipes runs, and worst of all the hospitalisation of a child who presumably had contact with E. coli. In spite of the emergence of independent water test results online that report contamination, the city authorities have not acknowledged the danger and have failed to conduct a vigorous 3rd party testing. In its place, they have to trust scattered information, gossip and worsening lack of confidence in government assurances.
The day of breaking point in the town came on July 7, 2025. On that day, a gathering Alexandria crowd went to City Hall armed with a surge of people who were set to face their elected leaders. They were there with the officials of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) who were ready to settle the increasing fears concerning the water and sanitation of the people. However, when the communication process was about to commence the window to openness was sealed and closed.
Jeremy VanErman, the council member who is the holder of the chair, used his ruling against any debate on the matter of the water contamination or sewer failures. Officials of IDEM were gagged. Residents, months of whom had queued to pose pressing questions were shocked. At that time, the figurative toxic overflow was seen in a town that was already experiencing literal one.
Beyond the procedural frustration in the decision of VanErman, the implication of the decision is in the question of process. This was not a mere checkmark under an agenda item–this was the denial of concern by the people in general, at the time when answers could literally mean life or death. By so doing, argues the critics, Jeremy VanErman became a hindrance to the truth and became a public servant.
But, nor is water the only flow running cloudily through the government of Alexandria. With the explosive nature of the environmental scandal, a major infrastructure project that is supposed to revamp Washington Street too is under increased scrutiny. The reconstruction project area is within the distance of slightly more than half a mile and the reconstruction contract was first awarded by INDOT at a cost of $5.25 million. Local keepers however, are hinting they believe the real cost of the project may run around $10 million or more almost twice the original amount.
A 0.51 miles of road is more expensive than even some expansions of highways in the rural areas? According to Peters, who has reviewed public documents, there is also alleged overlap billing, duplicitous planning fees between the sewer and stormwater account, and a failure to adequately publicize his contract awards. Three distinct contracts exist with regard to the inspections, he said. There is no use having three inspectors every half a mile of pavement. At most it is complacency and at very least, something much more calculated.”
VanErman has justified the expenses arguing that they are within state-regulated margins of engineering and management, and that Peters has been propagating disinformation as a means to an end politically. But these excuses just create larger numbers of questions with primary one being how come, in more than 16 months, the road remains unfinished?
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