CLEVELAND (AP) — Sewer rates in Ohio and across the U.S. are climbing as residents face extra

CLEVELAND (AP) — Sewer rates in Ohio and across the U.S. are climbing as residents face extra costs to help cover multimillion-dollar renovations of outdated infrastructure.

The recent federal stimulus package includes $4 billion for ready-to-go sewer projects nationwide, less than a quarter of what had been requested. Ohio will receive about $224 million.

During the past three decades, federal officials have increased standards for treating water and preventing contamination of waterways by overflows of raw sewage, industrial waste and storm water. At the same time, they’ve slashed funding for those projects.

The National Association of Water Companies, which includes 300 U.S. sewer systems, reports that federal funding has dropped from about 78 percent to only 5 percent.

Federal money for Ohio’s sewer projects dropped in the last several years from $70 million to $30 million, said Greg Smith, chief of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s division of environmental and financial assistance.

“The feds aren’t helping out,” said Rick Tilton, spokesman for the sewer district that serves Columbus. “It’s all on the rate payers.”

Columbus residents have seen double-digit rate increases in the past few years. Cincinnati has raised its rates by 12 percent and anticipates the same increase next year.

The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, which serves Cleveland and the surrounding area, is increasing its sewer fees by 9 percent annually until 2012, when that increase could double.

Dayton has maintained lower rates, in part because it has separate sewer lines.

“Akron, Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Springfield, the list goes on and on,” said Thomas Schommer, manager of Dayton’s waste water treatment system. “They all have combined systems, and they are all paying out the nose.”

How a city pays for its sewer projects often affects the cost to residents.

Boston has spent millions of dollars on improvements, and much of that was passed on to residents. Indianapolis has maintained a low rate but funds its projects through property taxes. In Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn., officials say sewer connection fees have helped to cover major projects, but a rate increase may be on the way.

A rate increase now has its advantages, said Julius Ciaccia, executive director of the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, where officials predict spending more than $6 billion in projects in the next 20 to 40 years.

Districts that don’t invest now will probably end up paying for it later, he said.