LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – The Metropolitan Sewer District is getting $10 million more, and it's coming from your wallet.
The MSD Board of Directors has just passed a 6.5 percent rate increase – that means the average homeowner can expect to pay $2.73 more each month for their residential wastewater and storm water drainage beginning on Aug. 1.
MSD has passed consistent 6.5 percent rate increases each year since 2008, and people can expect to pay those increases of 5.5 – 6 percent every year through 2018. Leaders say this is in response to the consent decree from the federal government: mandated improvements to the MSD infrastructure.
Before Monday's vote , leaders described that EPA mandate as the Bible -- making the yearly price hike like a commandment. Parishioners or Jefferson County taxpayers can expect an increase every year through at least 2018.
Every face on the MSD board is new this year, as is much of the administration after an audit uncovered mismanagement in the agency.
Ray Pierce spoke up trying to stop the rate increase. He says new faces, same result: "I question the rate hikes because of the abuse, waste, fraud, and everything else that happened at MSD."
He also said, "The people who actually adopted the consent decree are no longer here...That was Bud Schardein, Larry Zielke, and the director at that time. These were all appointed people. They've had to leave because of the poor management and the poor job they've done at MSD – and we're still living by a $800 million consent decree that I don't think the people of Jefferson County should be accountable for."
"The federal consent decree is an $850 million program to correct deficiencies in our sewer system," said Greg Heitzman, MSD Interim Executive Director. "What will happen over the next 10 years is we will minimize – and in many cases, eliminate – direct discharges of wastewater into waterways of the United States such as the Ohio River."
The new bosses also passed next year's budget: $117 million for operating expenses and another $200 million for capital improvements.
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