MSD News

Because of COVID-19, the 31st annual River Sweep scheduled for Sept. 12 has been changed to a collection of small efforts instead of the traditional large group. You can still be a part of the effort toward safe, clean waterways. Community members are encouraged to pick up a bag of garbage in their area in honor of the event.

Low-income households may qualify for a 10-percent sewer bill discount under a new Emergency Wastewater Rate Assistance Program (EWRAP) offered by MSD. Aimed at providing relief for households struggling financially during the coronavirus pandemic, the EWRAP discount is effective August 1, 2020. It will run through July 31, 2021.

EWRAP applicants must be Jefferson County residents who are named MSD customers receiving metered water service to a property used solely as a principal noncommercial residence and are not receiving the MSD Senior Citizen Discount.

National praise continues to roll in for Louisville MSD’s innovative Shawnee Park Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Basin project. The project, also known as the Southwestern Parkway CSO Basin, was named last week as one of twelve new “Infrastructure Gamechangers” by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).

“These latest Infrastructure Gamechangers showcase innovative solutions to complex problems and demonstrate some of the ways civil engineers are thinking creatively to modernize our nation’s infrastructure,” said ASCE President K.N. Gunalan.

Louisville MSD relaunches its Supplier Diversity Program with higher goals of inclusiveness for minority- and women-owned businesses based on results of a disparity study, which will improve the diversity of firms that receive MSD contracts and create community benefits in neighborhoods where MSD is working. 

Repair work is complete on the two previously broken sewer lines under Harrods Creek in Prospect. Both lines, along with a third installed during the repair, are now in operation.

At its May 26 board meeting, MSD proposed an Emergency Wastewater Rate Assistance Program (EWRAP) for customers who need help paying sewer bills. The program is in response to a proposed rate increase of $2.98 per month on the average MSD bill that, if approved, would take effect August 1, 2020.

Prospect sewer line repair update:

Despite numerous setbacks, including flooding of the repair site on four different occasions, repairs of the two broken sewer lines under Harrods Creek in Prospect are nearing completion.

Crews entered the 42-inch gravity pipe last week to apply a final sealant coating. The testing of this pipe was also performed. The original force main is back in service, along with the new force main that was installed alongside it during this lengthy repair.

Prospect sewer line repair update:

Residents on the Woodlands side of the repair site may have wondered about that long flexible pipe that snaked along the ground for about 1,300-feet. It is the lining for the damaged section of the original force main. Crews have successfully pulled that pipe through to the Ken Carla side. Final connections of this new “sleeve” to the undamaged portion of the original pipe are in process.

Louisville MSD and Louisville Water Company realize that many customers are facing stressful and challenging times right now. The utilities are working together to help customers manage their water and wastewater bills. Today the Louisville MSD board approved an additional $100,000 donation to the Louisville Water Foundation for customer assistance. The Board of Water Works—the governing body for Louisville Water—will consider a similar donation request at its April meeting.