Politics & Government

MSD To Hold Additional Rate Hike Hearings Starting Saturday

Residents to possibly see a 64-percent rate increase throughout four years, to fund sewer upgrades.

Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) customers have more opportunities to voice their opinions on another proposed rate hike beginning this weekend.

MSD officials say the sewer system needs $1 billion in upgrades, because some of the area's sewers need serious upgrades. In fact, some were installed before the U.S. Civil War. Customers are being asked to foot the bill to the tune of on their monthly bill.

The St. Louis MSD Rate Commission will hold meetings throughout the upcoming week so customers can have more opportunities to voice their opinions on the possible hike.

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Saturday, Aug. 20, 2011 - 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Cliff Cave Branch Library, St. Louis County Library
5430 Telegraph Rd.
St. Louis, MO 63129 

Monday, Aug. 22, 2011 - 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Florissant Valley Branch Library, St. Louis County Library
195 South New Florissant Rd. 
St. Louis, MO 63031  

Find out what's happening in Hazelwoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2011 - 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Herbert Hoover Boys & Girls Club  
2901 North Grand
St. Louis, MO 63107  

Monday, Sept. 26, 2011 - 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
MSD Headquarters
2350 Market St.
St Louis, MO 63103  

 

How much to flush?

  • Rate increase on an average residential bill between 2012 and 2016. 
  • Rates already jumped about $1.50 a month for 2011.

Sewer district staff is scheduled to be on hand at the meetings to go over basic facts of a 64 percent hike in sewer bills, and Rate Commission staff will be there taking notes.

A proposal to raise fees for storm water sewers (not waste water) is still in court on appeal by the sewer district against the State of Missouri. It's unclear how much that would cost residents.

  • Regulatory requirements—laws that protect clean water that didn't exist in 1850, or even 1957 when the district formed.
  • Increased use of debt—sewer district borrowed previously.
  • Loss of customer base—population dropped in the district, both residential and commercial, as the 2010 Census showed.
  • Declining water usage—we conserve more water (a good thing) which bites into sewer district revenue because it's billed by how much we use (so the price goes up.) 
  • Economic conditions—sewer district says customers are having trouble paying their bills.

*Information is drawn from the Metropolitan Sewer District website.

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