News & Events
Repairs To Central Canal Begin Wednesday; Towpath Closed Between Michigan Rd., & Holcomb Gardens
Work will shore up side of canal wall where tree damage occurred
INDIANAPOLIS, October 14, 2008 - Veolia Water Indianapolis, LLC (VWI), the day-to-day manager and operator of Indianapolis Water, will close the Central Canal Towpath between Michigan Rd. and Holcomb Gardens near the Butler University Campus beginning at 7 a.m. Wednesday, October 15, 2008. This closure is expected to last approximately two months.
Uprooted and damaged trees between the Central Canal and the White River near 44th Street have impacted the north side of the canal bank. The Central Canal provides a critical supply of water to nearly 60% of Indianapolis Water customers. Immediate repairs to this portion of the canal are necessary to ensure the safety and adequacy of the Indianapolis drinking water supply and prevent a possible breach of the canal wall. Construction crews will install sheet piling along 250 feet of the outer wall of the canal to restore stability and prevent further damage.
"Area residents may recall the canal breach in 1992 under similar circumstances," said Ed Malone, vice president of operations for Veolia Water Indianapolis. "The extent of the heavy construction work with the steel beams along the towpath unfortunately does not allow users to safely navigate the trail. In the interest of protecting the downtown drinking water supply, our goal is to quickly get in and make the repairs."
Construction gates will be set up along the Towpath at Michigan Road and at Holcomb Gardens to prevent unauthorized access to the construction site. Directional sings will be placed to help trail users navigate around the closure. Project updates will be available on both the Indianapolis Water and Indianapolis Greenways Web sites.
About the Central Canal: Today owned by the city of Indianapolis' Department of Waterworks, the Central Canal is a vital portion of the municipal drinking water supply in Indianapolis. Beginning just upstream of the Broad Ripple Dam near Westfield Boulevard, the Central Canal channels water from the White River to the city's largest water treatment facility, supplying nearly 90 million gallons of drinking water to central Indiana customers each day. Originally built by the state of Indiana in 1836 for transportation and ferrying goods, the canal was purchased by private individuals in 1850 and changed hands several times before being purchased by the Water Works Company of Indianapolis in 1871. The canal provided water to power the hydraulic pumps at the waterworks' original Washington Pumping station, now decommissioned, but still standing in the White River State Park. In 1906, the canal became the main source of supply for the new White River Water Treatment Facility, which supplies water to all of downtown Indianapolis. In response to a plea from Mayor Richard Lugar for downtown beautification efforts, the Indianapolis Water Company deeded the canal south of 20th Street and the pumping station to the city in 1976. While the lower section of the canal is no longer connected to the Central Canal and waterworks supply system, cooperative planning efforts by the city and state have transformed the lower canal section into an attractive community asset.
