In our previous posts, we introduced the sweeping changes brought by HEA 1459 and outlined the IURC’s final regulatory guidance under GAO 2025-03. Today, we are bypassing the broader details to focus entirely on the immediate timeline. (Prior posts from July and October last year.)

If you manage an Indiana utility, the first official compliance deadline is next week: July 1, 2026.

Who Must Report by July 1, 2026?

The IURC established a staggered, quadrennial reporting schedule based on your utility type and legal name. The current round applies strictly to:

  • Water Utilities with legal names starting with A through L.
  • For example, the following utilities would need to report by July 1 this year:
  • Adams County Regional Sewer
  • Allen County Regional Sewer
  • Bear High Wolf Lake Regional Sewer
  • Brookville Lake Regional Waste
  • Buck Creek and Colburn Regional Sewer District
  • Clay County (Coalmont) Regional Sewer District

If your utility falls into this category, your technical, managerial, financial, and legal capability report must be submitted through the online questionnaire by July 1st.

The Staggered Compliance Timeline Reference

The complete schedule for this four-year cycle is as follows:

Utility Type Legal Name Initials Reporting Deadline
Water Utilities A – L July 1, 2026 (Current)
Water Utilities M – Z July 1, 2027
Wastewater Utilities A – L July 1, 2028
Wastewater Utilities M – Z July 1, 2029

Note: Combined utilities must track and report their water and wastewater operations separately according to their respective schedules.

Don’t Face the First-Cycle Deficiency

For this initial 2026–2029 cycle, the only deficiency penalizable by the IURC is failure to submit the report on time. While later cycles will grade the maturity of your system maps and asset inventories, missing this baseline deadline immediately triggers the state’s progressive penalty system, which can escalate from informal rate reviews to full receivership over time.

Ensure your submission is finalized this week. If your district needs urgent assistance compiling your documentation or navigating the submission form before July 1st, reach out to BCS Management today.