LOVELAND MAGAZINE

News and Events from the Loveland, Ohio Area

Without fear or favor
Since 2004

Tag: MSD

  • Loveland Seniors can reduce their sewer bill by 25%

    Loveland Seniors can reduce their sewer bill by 25%

    by David Miller

    Loveland, Ohio – The Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) offers a Customer Assistance Program (CAP) to help low-income senior citizens in Loveland pay their sewer bills.

    Eligible applicants receive a 25% discount on their monthly sewer bill, including both the minimum base charge and the commodity charge). The estimated savings is $120 or more per year.

    Eligibility

    A sewer discount can only be offered to low-income seniors who meet specific eligibility requirements related to age, income, and home ownership. The eligibility requirements for the CAP are:

    • 65 years of age or older
    • Own and live in the residence for which they are paying the MSD sewer bill
    • Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) of no more than $36,100 for tax year 2022. MAGI is Ohio Adjusted Gross Income plus any business income that has been deducted in computing the Ohio Adjusted Gross Income (OAGI). This applies to the combined income of the applicant and their spouse.

    Required Documentation

    Documentation is required to be submitted with your application.

    • Proof of Age (please submit one):
      • Ohio Driver License
      • Ohio Identification Card
      • Birth certificate
    • Proof of Income (please submit all that apply):
      • Ohio Income Tax Return (previous year)
      • Social Security Benefit Verification Letter
      • Other (e.g., 1099R, W-2)

    Three Ways to Apply for the Discount

    Online: Fill out the online CAP Application, attach the required Proof of Age and Income (see above), sign the form electronically, and click the Submit button at the bottom of the form for automatic submittal.
    Email: Download the CAP Application (writeable PDF) and fill it out. Email the completed application, along with attached scans of the required Proof of Age and Income (see above), to:MSDCAP@cincinnati-oh.govkayaks
    Mail: Request a hard copy of the application by calling (513) 244-1300 (option 3) Mon-Fri, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Fill out the application in ink with an original signature. Mail the completed application, along with hard copies of the required Proof of Age and Income (see above), to:Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati (MSD)Attn: MSD CAP Manager1600 Gest StreetCincinnati, OH 45204icon representing mail

    Participation and Annual Renewal

    You will receive a letter by mail that confirms your eligibility. If approved, the 25% discount will appear in the “detail section” of your sewer bill that covers the next full billing cycle. This could take 1-2 months, depending on the billing cycle.

    MSD will annually notify you regarding your continued CAP eligibility every November. This will be a quick check to affirm your CAP status has not changed.

    For More Information

    For more information, please contact Bonnie Holman at (513) 244-5101 or MSDCAP@cincinnati-oh.gov. You can also contact Cassandra Hillary, the MSD CAP Manager, at MSDCAP@cincinnati-oh.gov. Additional information is also available in the Downloads box to the right.

  • There are important long-term reasons why it is best for our community that the Drees’ Grailville proposal does not go forward.

    There are important long-term reasons why it is best for our community that the Drees’ Grailville proposal does not go forward.

    Elizabeth Murphy has been an area resident for over 30 years.

    Dear Fellow Loveland Residents,

    It is important that you are aware of a process that is now ongoing involving 110 acres of Grailville land between State Rt. 48 and O’ Bannonville Road. Loveland City Council and the Zoning Board will have to make a decision on the Drees Homes’ request for a change in the zoning status to allow them to build 209 homes on that land.  

    The initial public hearing drew a standing-room-only crowd. Everyone who spoke, with the exception of the Drees representatives and one real estate agent, requested that the Zoning Board say NO to the Drees proposal. There are important long-term reasons why it is best for our community that the Drees proposal does not go forward.

    We all know the traffic situation in downtown is bad now. The construction of a large subdivision on this Grail land will initially cause several years of construction trucks and dirt funneling into town from State Rt. 48 and O’Bannonville Road. As the houses are built and sold regular traffic of several thousand car “trips” through town will phase in. This will never stop.

    Our school system is currently overflowing recommended capacity. Extra trailers are needed for space. It is estimated that 4-5 additional classrooms of children are likely to be added by this subdivision. We are all painfully aware of the costs that would be incurred to build new schools, as well as the stresses on children and teachers involved in overcrowding. Again, once this increase is allowed to happen it is unlikely to be reversed.

    There are also serious general infrastructure issues relating to water. The Loveland water system is a series of wells which when run at high demand can drop the water table in a significant way. One must ask at what point will this become a problem. Water pressure has at times been an issue and more homes drawing water cannot but aggravate this.  

    The other end of this problem is the management of the additional sewage. The sewer line under East Loveland Avenue is outdated, and fragile, and it is questionable whether it is adequate to handle a large new neighborhood. The receiving Polk Run sewage treatment plant has no more room to expand. There has been no confirmation of sewer availability, capacity, or access compliant with MSD standards. Will the City of Loveland be put in a position of providing this infrastructure at Loveland residents’ expense?  With the Little Miami River so nearby it is crucial that there be no chance of contamination.

    Natural rainwater run-off must also be considered. The land that White Pillars and Grailville are on slopes to the northwest.  The existing homes along O’Bannonville Road are all in the path of this natural drainage and vulnerable to surface flows or overflowing of Bares Run Creek in times of heavy rain. The new roads and houses will eliminate acreage which currently absorbs the rainwater and so more will continue on downhill.

    The final thing I need to speak of is the special quality of this particular piece of land. For about 80 years women of The Grail have lived or worked there. They have tended the land, holding it, knowing the sacred nature of this place. As the Grail has shared access to their land with others for walking and connecting with nature, many have become aware of the spiritual calm which it provides. In today’s world, we need this more than ever.

    In conclusion, I would encourage everyone who feels that we do not need another big subdivision on this Grailville land, with all the negative side-effects, to please make your views known. Attend the public meetings (the next is on May 4), write to or call members of the Zoning Board and City Council. 

    In our country, we have a government of citizens for citizens. Our officials have a duty of honor to listen to the members of the community they serve. They are us; and therefore, we must speak so they may be guided.

    Sincerely, 

    Elizabeth Murphy