Why Mishawaka Utilities Wastewater Is Best Positioned to Serve Major Regional Development

Why Mishawaka Utilities Wastewater Is Best Positioned to Serve Major Regional Development

By Matt Lentsch

As the City of Mishawaka continues to grow alongside St. Joseph County, so too does the need for infrastructure that is not only reliable but also equipped to meet the complex and high-volume demands of 21st-century industry. At the forefront of this readiness is the Mishawaka Utilities Wastewater Division (MUWW)—a full-service, municipally owned utility that has earned a reputation for operational excellence, advanced capacity, and a strong track record of meeting the region’s growing wastewater and stormwater needs.

As discussion continues around utility service for the proposed development within the Capital Avenue corridor and surrounding development corridors, it’s important to understand why MUWW is uniquely suited to handle such development—both in terms of infrastructure readiness and long-term sustainability.

Comprehensive Capabilities, Proven Performance

MUWW manages and maintains a fully integrated wastewater system that includes:

• A state-of-the-art wastewater treatment plant capable of handling both current and future flows with significant excess capacity.

• Advanced combined sewer overflow (CSO) mitigation infrastructure, the result of over $100 million in sewer separation and system improvements.

• Real-time flow monitoring and SCADA systems to ensure constant oversight, redundancy, and system responsiveness.

• A stormwater management program fully integrated into planning, engineering, and environmental stewardship citywide.

MUWW is not just prepared for today—it’s built for tomorrow. The system is engineered to accommodate growth and has already been scaled with the foresight of serving the Capital Avenue corridor and adjacent areas identified for development in the 2003 Capital Avenue Land Use Plan, jointly developed with St. Joseph County.

Experience Matters: Expertise You Can Count On

Mishawaka Utilities brings over a century of experience to utility service. Our operators, engineers, and field personnel are licensed professionals who live in and are accountable to the very community they serve. The MUWW team works closely with local, state, and federal regulatory bodies, maintains full compliance with IDEM and EPA standards, and continually reinvests in training and technology.

This depth of experience and operational capability enables MUWW to manage high-strength flows, variable load conditions, and complex industrial connections—precisely the kind of demands associated with projects like the proposed data center.

A Clear Contrast: County District Capabilities

By comparison, the St. Joseph County Regional Sewer District was established primarily to address failing septic systems in select rural areas—particularly in Granger. It is not currently structured, staffed, or equipped to handle the level of treatment, engineering coordination, or stormwater integration that a large-scale industrial or technology development requires.

The County District:

• Does not operate a wastewater treatment plant—instead, it relies on contracted wholesale treatment.

• Lacks a history of serving high-volume industrial or high-tech developments.

• Has no established program for integrated stormwater and flow management across a developed corridor.

• Does not maintain the same degree of in-house engineering or operational oversight.

While the district plays a valuable role in addressing rural wastewater needs, it was never intended—or designed—to manage urban-scale development with complex wastewater and stormwater demands.

Built to Grow with the Region

MUWW is ready—today—to serve the Microsoft Data Center and surrounding developments. The infrastructure is in place. The capacity exists. The experience is proven. And the systems are designed to scale in a cost-effective, efficient, and environmentally responsible manner.

Mishawaka Utilities is owned by the people. Our mission is to provide safe, reliable, and affordable utility services—not to generate profit, but to create long-term value for the community. When it comes to regional development, we are committed to being a partner in growth, not a barrier.

Simply put: Mishawaka Utilities Wastewater Division is the right utility, at the right time, with the right resources. We remain open to regional collaboration, committed to protecting public investment, and fully capable of supporting development that will help power our region for decades to come.