Are you tired of high sewer rates and overflowing sewers?

Our sewer bills have increased 234% since 2000. The Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati (MSD) has been collecting our hard earned money since 2006 to spend it on a $3.2 billion dollar project called Project Groundwork. Project Groundwork is the response to a consent decree from the EPA (Environmental Projection Agency) after MSD’s Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) were found to be in violation of the Clean Water Act.

Hamilton County’s sewer system is almost 100 years old and not engineered to meet the needs of our increased population. When it rains too hard, CSOs overflow and mix raw sewage with groundwater which floods residents' basements and backyards. This project is designed to stop sewage overflows and clean up our rivers and streams. However, thousands of residents are still dealing with sewage backups and MSD doesn't have a plan for Phase II of the project to resolve overflows.

Communities United For Action has proposed the People's Sewer Justice Platform as a solution for systemic changes to make MSD more transparent and accountable and our sewers affordable for everyone. 

In our campaign for #sewerjustice, CUFA has:

• Stopped new rate increases since 2015
• Won a customer assistance program for low-income senior homeowners
• Won a new reporting dashboard detailing Project Groundwork project information and finances
• Won and extension of the 24-hour reporting requirement for sewer backups to 48 hours.
• Won funding to fix sewer overflows in Northside's Ludlow Run area.

Resources:

Meet our Sewer Justice team. Our Sewer Justice Team meets on first Saturdays at 10AM. Contact CUFA to register for an upcoming meeting.

Download a one-pager about our Sewer Justice program

Watch: Sewer Backup Program 101 with Legal Aid 

Watch: Stormwater Management 101

Hamilton County's Impervious Surface Fee Stakeholder Working Group meeting resources:

Meeting 1: September 23, 2020

Meeting 2: December 10, 2020

Meeting 3: June 10, 2021

Take Action for Sewer Justice

For Individual Supporters

Tell your state legislators we need expanded sewer bill assistance.

Send an email to the Hamilton County Commissioners to show your support for Fair Sewer Rates.

For Organizational Supporters

For organizations, churches, businesses and community groups: Endorse the demands of the Fair Sewer Rates Coalition.