Middletown Forum : COMBINED SEWERS

COMBINED SEWERS : The city just approved taking...

Mon, 08 Apr 2019 09:00:47 +0000

Author: MattR
Subject: 5429
Posted: Apr 08 2019 at 9:00am

The city just approved taking money from the wellfied protection fund to pay for a new well. A new well should be paid for out of water rates, not out of a special assessment on top of the water rates. Not the first time this fund has been misused.

COMBINED SEWERS : Today's Journal story concerning...

Sun, 07 Apr 2019 12:39:39 +0000

Author: VietVet
Subject: 5429
Posted: Apr 07 2019 at 12:39pm

Today's Journal story concerning the new water and sewer, EPA mandated system to be built........

MIDDLETOWN —
Middletown will soon begin the first of many steps as part of a federally mandated 25-year, $269 million Long Term Control Plan to reduce combined sewer overflows into the Great Miami River.

This summer, the city will begin its $2.7 million project to construct the Bull’s Run to Sunset Park Green Infrastructure Basin that will intercept a portion of the stormwater flow where it enters the combined sewer sewer system near the intersection of Sheldon Road and Santa Fe Drive, according to Scott Tadych, city public works and utilities director.He said the project will be utilizing a natural and sustainable design method to mitigate stormwater by redirecting the flow from the drainage area to a one-acre basin that will be located at Sunset Park.

.......

Middletown City Council on Tuesday approved the $2.71 million contract with Majors Enterprises, Inc. that was the lowest and best bid submitted from four contractors vying for the contract.

.......

And now, info. as to how this will affect you as a water/sewer customer....

From the story.....

2018 area combined water and sewer rates in Butler/Warren countiesEach year, the city of Oakwood surveys 63 local government jurisdictions for their water and sewer rates. The amounts listed are based on 22,500 gallons or 3,000 cubic feet of water in a three-month period. Rates quoted are those in effect as of March, 1, 2018. The survey for 2019 has not been published.

Butler County: $202.37
Warren County: $207.68
Fairfield: $212.46
Waynesville: $217.00
Franklin: $223.28
Oxford: $234.30
Monroe: $246.75
Carlisle: $250.20
Hamilton: $265.29
Lebanon: $278.64
Middletown: $282.57
Trenton: $288.36
Mason: $290.35
Springboro: $303.92
SOURCE: City of Oakwood

Looks like Middletown customers will now start paying the fourth highest rates in the area. We are close to paying as much for sewer and water as the more affluent communities of Mason and Springboro, even though we have a fraction of the wealth living within the respective towns. We are now well over the average for Butler County as well.

Looks like the former and current city leader procrastination in dealing with this problem has now caused the lower income citizens of this city a nice hefty increase. If history has repeated itself, we may be experiencing yet another case of the city using money earmarked for the sewer separation, EPA mandated project that has been diverted to other city projects over time. Shouldn't surprise anyone who is familiar with city budget manipulations that this has happened. Now, we all must pay the price in increased water bills for their poor budgeting practices where all project specific designated money goes to the General Fund to "get lost in the shuffle", re-distributed, and ends up on a "city friend's" project list.

Thanks city leaders. Always fair and equitable toward the people who contribute to the game being played here. By the way, just got the latest water bill the other day. $20 bucks higher than the average before this bill for relatively the same usage. Just terrific!

COMBINED SEWERS : The increase approved makes Middletown...

Sat, 12 Jan 2019 13:13:58 +0000

Author: MattR
Subject: 5429
Posted: Jan 12 2019 at 1:13pm

The increase approved makes Middletown the 8th most expensive of 63 jurisdictions.

COMBINED SEWERS : At the most recent council meeting...

Fri, 28 Dec 2018 19:08:17 +0000

Author: MattR
Subject: 5429
Posted: Dec 28 2018 at 7:08pm

At the most recent council meeting the city manager stated that according to the 2017 regional rate survey Middletown had rates in the bottom 25% of the jurisdictions reporting, 53rd of 63, and that this included the proposed 10% increase.
The 2017 survey actually ranks Middletown as the 18th most expensive of 63 jurisdictions, placing in the top 1/3rd for cost.
The 2018 survey, which has been available since April, rank Middletown as the 11th most expensive for sewer rates of 63 jurisdictions. This puts Middletown in the top 20% for highest rates and does not include the proposed increase.
Germantown, Lebanon, Hamilton, Carlisle, Monroe, Franklin, Butler county, Warren county, Fairfield and Oxford all have lower rates according to the 2018 survey.

COMBINED SEWERS : And the rest of his slogan could...

Thu, 27 Dec 2018 14:11:09 +0000

Author: MattR
Subject: 5429
Posted: Dec 27 2018 at 2:11pm

And the rest of his slogan could be 'but with your help, it could'.

COMBINED SEWERS : Go for it bob! Hoping that a few...

Thu, 27 Dec 2018 13:14:28 +0000

Author: spiderjohn
Subject: 5429
Posted: Dec 27 2018 at 1:14pm

Go for it bob! Hoping that a few other new constructive faces try also.
I would keep one maybe two of the currents, though with everything discussed behind closed doors prior to the meetings, it is hard to tell how individuals think(though 5-0 says plenty).

I am all for positive new change down there

new slogan?
Middletown---it just doesn't get any better!

COMBINED SEWERS : Try it, Bob. Make some signs and...

Wed, 26 Dec 2018 11:36:14 +0000

Author: middiemom
Subject: 5429
Posted: Dec 26 2018 at 11:36am

Try it, Bob. Make some signs and run. Please run for council. Please.

COMBINED SEWERS : Good grief!I already can't...

Tue, 25 Dec 2018 20:56:07 +0000

Author: buddhalite
Subject: 5429
Posted: Dec 25 2018 at 8:56pm

Good grief!

I already can't afford to pay my water bill (and trust me the sewer rates have been seen and felt already)!

Plus, when I look at how the survey is calculated - it's a self-reporting survey...no actual bills, readings or anything of the like are examined or analyzed.

Agreed - the leaders of our city only know one way to make money - tax us more.

How about bringing jobs to the city and really getting the economy roaring again here before leveling any more taxes on us.

You say it's not a tax BOB, IDIOT! (Just saving Middiemom some effort there) Look, the way I see it - it's a tax. Every resident has to pay it - and if you don't - you don't get services and the government is in complete control of it (see Vet's post above) so it's a TAX.

I think if you ran as a candidate this year for council and just passed out literature and made signs that say "NO" - you'd probably win in a landslide.

Furthermore the data analyst in me says that report shows something VERY interesting about urban vs rural systems and when you remove those outliers the picture is a bit clearer.

COMBINED SEWERS : Journal story-December 25th, 2018.....MIDDLETOWN...

Tue, 25 Dec 2018 20:16:45 +0000

Author: VietVet
Subject: 5429
Posted: Dec 25 2018 at 8:16pm

Journal story-December 25th, 2018.....

MIDDLETOWN —
Middletown residents may be seeing a 10 percent sewer rate increase in 2019.

This is the latest rate hike by the city as part of covering the costs of the $269 million Long Term Control Plan consent decree which was approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency last year.

City Council will make a final decision on the proposed rate increase at its Jan. 8 meeting.

This rate increase will cost a typical residential user an additional $3.38 per month based on 600 cubic feet of usage, according to Scott Tadych, city public works and utilities director.

In his report, Tadych said sewer rates are reviewed with council as needed taking into consideration the operational, maintenance, and capital improvement needs of the sewer system. He said the sewer rates were last discussed in 2017 with a rate increase of 15 percent in 2018.

The minimum monthly rate including the first 300 cubic feet is now $17.26. Starting March 1, 2019 that will go up to $18.99 a month.

Over the past several years, the city has incrementally raised rates the past several years to build up the sewer fund for projects to implement the Long Term Control Plan. If council does not or delays a sewer rate increase, it could cause higher annual increases in the future.

The city agreed to a consent decree with the USEPA to address combined sewer overflows. Therefore, sewer rates are being adjusted as needed to implement a Long Term Control Plan. The plan will include combined sewer overflow control projects along with major rehabilitation of the sewer system and wastewater treatment plant. The total cost is expected to be $265 million over the next 25 years.

Middletown’s sewer rates are currently 53rd out of 63 communities surveyed for sewer rates based on the 2018 Oakwood Water and Sewer Rate Survey for southwest Ohio.

Water rates in Middletown are currently 22nd out of 66 communities surveyed for lowest water rates. Water rates will remain the same for 2019. Combining both rates Middletown is 36th out of 63 communities surveyed

So, in 2018 we had a 15% sewer tax added to your monthly water bill. Now, in 2019, we will have another 10% added for a grand total of 25% in the last two years.

Knowing we have a low income community, will this frequency and percentage of taxation be affordable to those in this income level or for most people in the middle income level? Doubtful.

Is leveling yet more taxes on the citizens the only answer for this administration? Is that all they know as to revenue generation? The combined sewer issue has been in play for a long time and the city delayed addressing this issue for years. Money was set aside years ago BEFORE the city started this extra taxation we see here. What happened to that money to cause these current tax increase frequencies? Where did that money go? The game of taxing the hell out of people never ends folks. They start a fund to take care of problems that arise, then suddenly ask for more when they divert and spend that fund money on their own little pet projects. Has happened before many times. Same game. Different day. Why city leaders, are you continually in the people's wallet? The sewer rates now are totally out of control at nearly twice the water rates. Hell, you can't afford to water your dam lawn anymore forcing you to let it burn up in the summer. Noticed people in the Oaks are watering less the last few years using their in ground sprinkler systems and they would be the ones who could most afford the high water bills.

COMBINED SEWERS : Thanks to MattR for publishing...

Sun, 11 Mar 2018 19:39:41 +0000

Author: whistlersmom
Subject: 5429
Posted: Mar 11 2018 at 7:39pm

Thanks to MattR for publishing the EPA website address,http://wwwapp.epa.ohio.gov/dsw/maps/cso/index.php which reveals the sites of combined sewer overflows.

In particular, the overflow run off going to Bulls Run CSO, thatMiddletown is currently addressing with the installation of theproposed basin, is shown as being dumped into the Hydraulic Canal,which is itself a catch basin.

There is no indication of the Hydraulic Canal being connected to theriver, because the city had blocked off the flow to the river yearsago.

So, it seems that run off going to the EPA indicated, Bulls Run CSO,will have no real effect on combined sewage entering the river and ifthere is a connection to the river, only a miniscule amount of thecity wide problem would be solved. It’s not just a bandaid ...it’s a tiny bandaid.