The City of Kendallville’s Wastewater Treatment Plant is designed and permitted as a Combined Sewer System (CSS).  A CSS is a wastewater collection system owned by a State or municipality which conveys sanitary wastewaters (domestic, commercial and industrial wastewaters) and storm water through a single pipe system to a Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW).  Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) is the discharge from a CSS at a point prior to the POTW. CSO discharges occur when rainfall or snowmelt occurs, causing the system to be overwhelmed and discharge untreated sewage to rivers and streams, potentially posing a threat to human health and the environment. CSOs are point sources subject to NPDES permit requirements including both technology-based and water quality-based requirements of the Clean Water Act.

The City of Kendallville has 1 CSO outfall. This outfall dispenses into the stream that runs directly into Henderson Lake. This Lake is designated a no contact body of water. Swimming is not permitted and it is NOT a source of drinking water.