MONTGOMERY COUNTY — Montgomery County has approved a 5% annual increase in water and sewer rates for the next five years to fund $248 million in infrastructure improvements.
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This will impact more than 230,000 customers.
The county said $139 million will be allocated to water infrastructure and $109 million to sewer systems.
“We have protected our residents from rising costs for years, but aging infrastructure and overcharges from the city of Dayton mean we can no longer absorb these expenses,” said Michael Colbert, Montgomery County Administrator.
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Since 2020, the county said operating expenses for water and sewer have increased by 32%, and maintenance and repair costs have surged by 178%.
News Center 7 has previously reported that the county filed a lawsuit against the city of Dayton over violations of the 2018 Water Services Agreement.
The lawsuit alleges that Dayton overstated water service charges and failed to meet reporting requirements, resulting in overcharges of at least $14 million over six years.
The county said they have been absorbing these costs instead of passing them on to residents.
The county has asked the court to hold a hearing to determine the correct rates and to place any disputed funds in escrow while the matter is resolved.
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