INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The nine-month moratorium passed by the Tippecanoe county commissioners stops any massive withdrawals of water from the Wabash River in their county.

The commissioners are hoping this will buy enough time for state lawmakers to step in with stronger regulations. 

The action taken by the Tippecanoe County commissioners is the first step to keeping water from the Wabash River in the river. I-Team 8 has reported extensively on efforts to slow down or stop the state from taking water from the river for the LEAP industrial development in Boone County. Attica, West Lafayette, and Lafayette City Councils have all passed resolutions to stop the state from taking water from the Wabash River area.  

“Stopping this leap pipeline is paramount not only for me, but all of my Granville neighbors and Tippecanoe county,” said an emotional April Saur, of Lafayette, Indiana, as she addressed the commissioners during their November meeting. She told the Commissioners her husband were out for a bike ride this summer along the river and witnessed one of the test wells pumping water from the river.

Saur said the water was coming from a field near the south bank of the river  

“We get home after being sweaty from cycling and go to take a shower, and we didn’t have water, couldn’t do laundry,” said Saur 

Governor Holcomb has ordered the current study of the Wabash to be expanded to at least 12 counties, and moved oversight from the Indiana Department of Economic Development to the Finance Authority, which should increase transparency. Results are expected in January. The search for water could be a moot subject if a proposed micro chip manufacturing facility selects not to build in the LEAP development district  

Indiana is one of two midwestern locations currently under consideration for the new microchip manufacturing facility