During discussion at an Oct. 17 special meeting, village engineer Bruce Brandstetter, of Brandstetter Carroll Inc., advised members of the Ohio EPA-approved $235,000 capital improvements project of which the village would be granted $94,000 of the total amount and the remainder would be in the form of an interest-free loan payable over 30 years.
“We are working with Greater Cincinnati Water Works to bring this all together,” he said.
South Lebanon entered into an agreement in 2009 with Greater Cincinnati Water Works for supply of wholesale water. The 40-year contract also will help the village get out of the water supply business, for the most part, and provide an adequate supply of soft water to this growing community.
If council approves the resolution, water production would be expected to begin by December, officials said.
“One of the most impressive parts is, this equates to about a $2 per month reduction in utility costs for the village residents,” said Smith. “This will be the first reduction since 1951, when the village first went into the water business.”
Existing village-owned water wells would be used mostly for irrigation purposes and emergency back-up once the Greater Cincinnati Water Works begins providing water, but South Lebanon would continue to manage all water services inside the village including billing and maintenance of the systems, officials said.
The water upgrade would apply to residential and commercial customers in the village’s historic district and commercial development to the north as well as residents of 240-unit Water’s Bend apartments. Village customers who are currently on the Warren County water system will not be affected.
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