Funding wastewater treatment plant on Youngstown council agenda

YOUNGSTOWN — City council will consider legislation Wednesday to raise sewer rates by 17 percent over the next four years and authorize the board of control to spend $146 million to improve its wastewater system as mandated by a federal agency.

Sewer rates would increase by 3.99 percent annually starting Jan. 1. The proposal would see the monthly sewer rate of $84.55 per 1,000 cubic feet increase to $98.87 by Jan. 1, 2018, for the city’s 22,000 wastewater customers.

The improvements, to be done over 20 years, are required by the federal Environmental Protection Agency. The federal and state EPAs need to approve the final proposal, and are expected to do so after council’s vote.

The improvements include $36 million in upgrades to the city’s wastewater treatment plant, $62 million for a new wet-weather facility near the plant to better control sewage in heavier rainfalls, and a $48 million interceptor to keep wastewater from flowing into Mill Creek MetroParks.

For the complete story, read Tuesday's Vindicator and Vindy.com