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MSD Sewer Rates Won't Change Next Year, Billing Will

Bill Rinehart
/
WVXU
Hamilton County Board of Commission from left: Chris Monzel, Todd Portune, Denise Driehaus.

The Metropolitan Sewer District won't charge more next year. Hamilton County commissioners approved keeping 2018 sewer rates at this year's level.

The vote comes as MSD prepares to switch from quarterly to monthly billing. MSD Director Gerald Checco says that's not the only change coming.

"We are not going to bill on multi-family issues so it will only be based on consumption and meter size. That will be beneficial for lower income people. We also have changed the winter billing that affects the minimum charge on the summer from five months to three months."

A rate reduction task force recommended the changes. Commissioners still have to approve the operating and capital budgets for MSD.

Commissioner Denise Driehaus says it's significant because its infrastructure that everyone relies on.

"By that I mean the maintenance of an aging system, a consent decree to which we need to comply, and the sewer backups in the community because of flooding events, there's a great deal of stress on this system. So I want to credit the commission, current and former."

This is the third year commissioners have voted to keep rates flat.

Bill Rinehart started his radio career as a disc jockey in 1990. In 1994, he made the jump into journalism and has been reporting and delivering news on the radio ever since.