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Metropolitan Sewer District urges Springdale to join credits program to limit sewer flooding and enable development
Summary
A Metropolitan Sewer District official told the Springdale City Council that illegal private stormwater connections are increasing sewer flows and basement backups. MSD described a credits program and intergovernmental agreement to remove connections, said two capital fixes are planned (one targeted for 2035), and offered inspection and resident‑assistance options.
An official from the Metropolitan Sewer District told the Springdale City Council on Nov. 5 that illegal downspout and yard drain connections are increasing stormwater infiltration into sanitary sewers, raising flows and causing basement backups in parts of the city.
The MSD representative, who identified themself as head of the district’s capital planning division, said the district has been tracking reconnections since the removal work undertaken in the 1990s and 2000s and is now seeing those connections return as homes change hands. “When our sewers get too much rain water coming in … the basements back up in different areas of the city,” the official said, describing how downspouts, area drains and depressed driveways can add flow that the sanitary system was not designed to accept.
MSD outlined a voluntary credits program and an intergovernmental agreement model piloted with neighboring Sharonville. Under the proposal, MSD would identify illegal connections; the municipality would assist residents with removal; and MSD would credit participating communities for the capacity freed by removals so they can approve new development without increasing flood risk. “If you participate with us … we would credit that on our ledger to any developments that [the municipality] is going forward with,” the MSD official said.
Council members pressed MSD on timing and costs. MSD said it has two capital projects on its books to address the drainage constraints: the nearer project is tentatively slated for construction in 2035; the other has not yet been prioritized. For homeowner remediation, MSD estimated that capping a downspout could cost roughly $50–$200; trenching to a curb connection could run on the order of $1,200; and full storm‑sewer work involving road excavation could be $10,000 or more.
On enforcement, MSD said it does have statutory authority to inspect connections and issue enforcement letters under the Ohio Revised Code and that an enforcement letter carries a stated $100‑per‑day penalty after 30 days, though officials said they prefer voluntary removal and would work with residents and municipal partners to avoid punitive outcomes. “We will work with the residents. We’ll try to do what we can. If they completely ignore us … then that is the outcome we have to go to,” the MSD official said.
MSD described several detection methods it is testing, including dye tests and acoustic techniques that can reduce the need for intrusive inspections. The official said the district has funding and a contractor in place and can begin inspections as soon as municipal partners are ready; they recommended spring rain events for the most effective testing.
Council did not take any formal action on the program at the Nov. 5 meeting but were told that an intergovernmental agreement would not obligate Springdale to take action absent its own decision. The MSD official also said MSD may offer partial public‑side rehabilitation credits (manhole lining, manhole cover adjustments) to reduce the number of private removals a municipality must secure.
Next steps identified in the discussion: MSD will finalize an intergovernmental draft used in Sharonville, provide a list of candidate downspouts identified during inspection work, and discuss grant or hardship funding pathways that would limit penalties for low‑income homeowners.
