Infrastructure Needs. Columbus’s water systems need expensive repairs and upgrades.

•    Pipeline Improvement. $11.3 million to improve sewers and upgrade water lines

•    Upground Reservoir Project. $140 million project set to begin in 2009 to provide a re-liable water supply for the growing population

•    Wet Weather Management Plan. $2.5 billion over the next 40 years in wastewater infrastructure improvements to reduce combined and sanitary sewer overflows and basement backups, as EPA mandated. 
-    Goals. Reduce total annual overflow volume by more than 85 percent in the first 20 years, 70 percent reduction in combined sewer overflow by 2010, 99 percent by 2025
-    Economic benefit. $12.5 billion in economic benefits created by the project. 2,897 total jobs annually, generating $4.5 billion in payroll and $76.4 million in tax receipts over the 40-year project term. 

Missing Federal Funding for Federally Mandated Projects.

•    No Federal Assistance. While the federal government is forcing Columbus to make expensive, albeit necessary, wastewater improvements to reduce overflows, it is failing to provide the city with funding.
-    The city is pressing its local congressional delegation to support the creation of an ongoing federal funding source to help relieve the burden on local ratepayers
-    In the 1970s and 1980s, the federal government provided more than 90 percent of the wastewater infrastructure costs under the Clean Water Act. Today, the federal government has withdrawn virtually all of the funding. Ratepayers now should over 93 percent of the billions of dollars in capital and operating costs of our nation’s water and sewer infrastructure.

•    Rate increases. Without federal funding, local residents must pick up the tab.
-    2008 hike: 12.55 percent in the typical water and sewer bill (18 percent for water, 10 percent for sewer, 5 percent for stormwater), represents a $7.26 a month increase
-    2007 hike: 15 percent in the typical water and sewer bill (10 percent for water, 19 percent for sewer, 7 percent for stormwater), represents a $7.54 a month increase
-    Rates could rise as much as 2.6 times the 2005 average quarterly sewer bill of $72 to pay for the Wet Weather Management Plan

•    Low Income Discount Program. 15 percent reduction on water and sewer bills for customers who already quality for a variety of state and federal low income programs

Clean Water.

•    Water Quality. Following heavy rains, sewage overflows are responsible for more than 90 percent of the bacteria in some sections of the Scioto River.
-    Goal: Reduce to 30 percent of today’s level by 2010 and to 7 percent by 2025

•    Sewage Overflows. While progress has been made, 2007 saw a net increase in overflows
-    12 percent increase in wet weather sewer overflows from 2006, with 341 known over-flow events in 2007
-    29 percent reduction in dry weather sewer overflows during dry season from 2006, with 22 known overflow events in 2007
-    $45,500 in stipulated penalties for overflows in 2007