Final opportunities to weigh in on MSD rate increases

Final opportunities to weigh in on proposed MSD rate increases

BY Gregg Palermo St. Louis

PUBLISHED 1:56 PM CT Jul. 25, 2023 PUBLISHED July 25, 2023 @1:56 PM

ST. LOUIS—The public has six more opportunities starting Tuesday night to weigh in on a Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District rate increase proposals that could be put in front of voters next April.

An independent rate commission is asking for public feedback on two proposals, one for stormwater and another for wastewater. The stormwater proposal would mean a 7.5% property tax increase per $100 valuation for residential customers. For a typical customer with a home valued at $175,000, that would mean $2.06 per month. Non-residential customers would pay $1.05 per 1,000 square feet of property that does not absorb stormwater.

The increase would fund $700 million in projects over the next 20 years, the agency said. Half would address “the most pressing stormwater issues creating flooding and erosion,” it said. The remainder would fund municipal stormwater grants, an environmental justice fund and projects identified by MSD and a regional advisory committee.

Wastewater rates

MSD would spend more than $1.6 billion on wastewater service construction if voters approve rate increases and issue $750 million in debt funding. Pending voter approval, MSD says a typical single-family residential household would pay $75.23 monthly starting July 1, 2027, up from just over $57 currently. If voters reject that proposal, the current figure would nearly double to $104.34 in July 2025, before going down in 2026.

The rate commission will make a recommendation to MSD’s Board of Trustees in September. MSD has until January to officially put the increase question on the April ballot.