Eligible customers can save money on their sewer bills

Any time you flush the toilet or send water down the drain, that dirty water is sent to the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, where it is cleaned and returned to either Lake Erie or the Cuyahoga River. The bills you receive each month help support this and all other clean water investment in the region.

Did you know the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District offers four cost-saving programs that can help eligible customers pay a reduced rate?

  • Homestead Program: Available to customers aged 65 or older (or customers under 65 who are totally disabled), this program offers a 40 percent discount. Total household income must not exceed $33,500 in 2018. The City of Cleveland administers this program and, once applicants are enrolled, they receive an annual renewal form from Cleveland. Applications are available by calling the Sewer District’s Customer Service Department at (216)881-8247.
  • Summer Sprinkling Program: For some customers, residential water use increases during the summer months because of lawn sprinkling and other seasonal use. But most of this additional water does not return to the sewer system. For this reason, the Sewer District offers the Summer Sprinkling Program, in which summer residential sewer bills are based on either average winter water consumption, or actual summer water consumption, whichever is lower. 
  • Wastewater Affordability Program: A 40 percent discount for customers whose annual income is at or below 200 percent of the federally-established poverty level. Qualifying customers can be enrolled in the Homestead Program, or the Wastewater Affordability Program, but not both.
  • Crisis Assistance Program: Available to customers affected by a major life event such as sudden medical expenses, job loss or divorce. The Program offers financial assistance of 50 percent of sewer bill balance (up to $300) toward your account.

The Wastewater Affordability and Crisis Assistance Programs are administered by CHN Housing Partners (formerly Cleveland Housing Network). CHN can be reached at (216)574-7100.

New wastewater rates went into effect January 1, 2018. For Cleveland residents, the Sewer District charges a monthly base rate of $4.95 plus $88.40 for each “MCF” (1000 cubic feet, or 7480 gallons of wastewater) used. A typical household uses 0.6 MCF and an average bill is approximately $59 monthly.

More information about the Sewer District is available online at www.neorsd.org

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Volume 10, Issue 3, Posted 11:04 AM, 03.10.2018