Rate Increase Proposed By Northeast Ohio Sewer District

CLEVELAND — The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District proposed an annual rate increase of 4.7 percent for 2022 to 2026.

Sewer district officials said the rate increase would fund plant operations and stormwater and sewer projects. The rate increase was first proposed at the April 7 Board of Trustees meeting. The Board of Trustees is expected to vote on the proposed rates on June 17. Rates are set in five-year increments and the current rate cycle ends on Dec. 31, 2021.

If the rate increase is passed, the base charge for proposed sewer rates would increase from $10.15 in 2022 to $12.20 by 2026. For typical homeowners, proposed stormwater rates would increase from $5.39 in 2022 to $6.48 in 2026.

The sewer district will hold three public meetings to discuss possible rate increases. Those virtual meetings will be held:

• April 23, at 11:30 a.m.
• April 24, at 10 a.m.
• May 3, at 6 p.m.

If sewer district customers are unable to attend these meetings, they can view a recording, and review a list of frequently-asked questions at neorsd.org/behindthebill. Cleveland’s TV20 will air a special edition of “Clean Water Works” throughout the month of May examining this rate increase. If customers do not have internet access, they can contact Customer Service at 216-881-8247 for assistance.

Where the Money Goes

“For nearly 50 years, the Sewer District has invested $5 billion in sewer and stormwater projects. Our early work included restoring the Cuyahoga River through sewer investments, which significantly reduced the amount of pollution making its way to the river,” said Kyle Dreyfuss-Wells, sewer district CEO.

The work cannot stop on the infrastructure though, Dreyfuss noted.

“Our community’s 330 miles of regional sewer pipes, three wastewater treatment plants, and 476 miles of regional streams requires continual maintenance and care to ensure we protect public health and the freshwater quality on which our region relies. We must also build and maintain new infrastructure to address the region’s legacy of combined sewer overflows and significant flooding and erosion problems that threaten public safety," he said.

One of the sewer district's larges expenses is capital expenditures, officials said, including Project Clean Lake, the $3 billion, 25-year infrastructure investment designed to address sewer overflows into Lake Erie and other waterways.

Due to sewer overflows, a mixture of sewage and stormwater pours into waterways during major rain storms. Since 2011, when Project Clean Lake began, the sewer district has eliminated approximately 1 billion gallons of combined sewer overflow. District officials hope to remove another 515 million gallons by 2023.

“Treating wastewater and managing stormwater is extremely expensive. Our rates are based on how much money is needed to ensure our critical, life-sustaining services are available to our residential, manufacturing and industrial customers today, tomorrow and in the future,” said Ken Duplay, sewer district CFO. “In addition to keeping our finger on the pulse of costs, the Sewer District has been exceptionally resourceful looking for opportunities to significantly save money.”