St. Joseph’s sewer problem represents a $450 million tab and years of investment.

But it also offers something else, Public Works Director Bruce Woody believes.

“We have a lot of opportunity along the way,” Mr. Woody said Friday.

He spoke to business leaders at a St. Joe Rising, a community forum sponsored by the St. Joseph Area Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Woody outlined the challenge facing the city as it tries to comply with Environmental Protection Agency rules for sewer discharge.

One of the opportunities may be to build a sewage treatment facility on the East Side of the city, he said. Odor problems in the central part of the city a be addressed during the improvements.

Sewer bills are expected to increase about 15 percent for residential customers and 4 percent for industrial users this year.

“As the bills start mounting, we will need to look at other revenue sources, as well,” he said.

St. Joseph’s lower per-capita income and low population density considering the amount of land draining through the sewer system make the improvements costly, Mr. Woody said.

St. Joe Rising is a new series the Chamber is sponsoring to look at public affairs issues, said Ted Allison, president of the Chamber.

City Manager Vince Capell also spoke to the audience.

“One of the greatest challenges we have is public infrastructure,” he said, noting public works account for about half of the city’s $109 million annual budget.

Business editor Susan Mires can be reached at susanm@npgco.com.