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County to clean up $2 million mercury spill

Hamilton County will pay nearly $2 million to clean up a mercury spill last summerat two Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) sites and the Rumpke Landfill in Colerain Township.

The person who oversees MSD for the county, Dave Meyer, relayed this message to the sewer district from County Commissioners: "The Board is disappointed we are in this situation and hopes that MSD has put the proper practices, procedures and people in place so that it doesn't happen again."

Commission President Chris Monzel says, "One thing that we just passed last week was some updates to those working policies and procedures and trying to bring more rigor and discipline to MSD."

The funds to pay for the clean-up and fines levied by the Ohio EPA will come from MSD, meaning ratepayers are picking up the cost.

Once the final orders are approved, clean up at the landfill must be completed within 60 days. Work could begin in February.

In June employees were disposing of old equipment they didn't realize contained the mercury. Mishandling caused the hazardous material to leak at the MSD sites and along the route to the landfill.

Senior Editor and reporter at WVXU with more than 20 years experience in public radio; formerly news and public affairs producer with WMUB. Would really like to meet your dog.