Cincinnati, Hamilton County reach deal on township water bill hike

CINCINNATI, OH (FOX19) - Cincinnati and Hamilton County officials reached a deal for a water bill price hike in the county’s townships.

The city and county went to court in August over a proposed increase to townships’ water bills.

Cincinnati City Council passed an ordinance in June 2018 to raise water rates by 18 percent in the townships.

Township residents, however, already pay a 1.25 percent multiplier for city water. That means their water bills are 25 percent higher than city residents.

“The guarantee of a 50-year contract to provide water service to the townships is crucial for Water Works to be able to obtain low-cost financing to make the asset investments needed to run a safe, best-in-class water system for our region. Ultimately, this will save ratepayer dollars while allowing us to invest in our water system for decades to come,” Mayor John Cranley said on Thursday.

As part of the settlement, the county has also agreed to allocate $6.3 million dollars from the Metropolitan Sewer District to fund its portion of the hillside erosion project on Riverside Drive.

Greater Cincinnati Water Works customers in Hamilton County and other areas including parts of Butler, Clermont and Warren counties pay a surcharge, or multiplier, to cover costs to bring water outside the city.

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