Greater Cincinnati Water Works

The Greater Cincinnati Water Works is starting two projects Monday to repair leaks.

Cincinnati is developing a plan to test the water flow of more than 14,000 fire hydrants in the city. It comes after a house fire on Rose Hill Avenue in North Avondale in November where firefighting efforts were hampered by low flow from hydrants on the street.

Greater Cincinnati Water Works has a back-up plan in case of disaster. In fact, the water district has several redundancies either ready to go or are nearing completion.

A Hamilton County Judge is, for now, blocking Cincinnati from raising water rates in unincorporated parts of Hamilton County.  

Hamilton County has gone to court over a plan to raise water rates in unincorporated communities. Commissioners asked for a temporary restraining order to block Cincinnati Water Works from raising rates until a task force can finish a study.

Hamilton County commissioners say they'll continue to press Cincinnati leaders to relent on a plan to increase water rates for certain county communities, townships and unincorporated areas.

There's a new fight brewing between Cincinnati and Hamilton County. The two governments have battled over control of the Metropolitan Sewer District for years, and the latest argument is from the other end: water.

It has been discussed for years, and starting in January Greater Cincinnati Water Works customers will get their bills monthly instead of quarterly.

Water Works Director Cathy Bailey said elected officials and customers have been asking for the change for years.

Greater Cincinnati Water Works wants to change the way it's replacing lead service lines to some homes and businesses in the city.

The Greater Cincinnati Water Works has sent out 1,543 test kits so residents can check the lead level in their drinking water. So far, 853 have been analyzed and 21 properties have levels that are concerning.  

Cincinnati officials estimate that some 16,000 private properties are still getting water through lead lined pipes.  

The city will soon be notifying those owners in writing about the issue. Council approved a motion Wednesday for such notifications.  

A harmful blue-green algae bloom is still plaguing the Ohio River, and a Kentucky biologist says it doesn't look like that will change soon. 

When Cincinnati Council approves the city budget next week, it most likely will include a five percent water rate increase.

Greater Cincinnati Water Works Director Tony Parrott the five percent increase is the bare minimum amount needed to keep up the system.