MSD News

Louisville MSD and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are taking a big step in improving the Beargrass Creek watershed. Today, the two entities announced they are working together on the Three Forks Beargrass Creek Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study, which is one of only six new General Investigation Feasibility Study projects to be selected by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers nationwide in a competitive pool of applicants for funding. The local project is the only ecosystem restoration and the sole inland project chosen nationwide.

What’s the most significant ingredient in beer? Water. Four local brewers have experimented with a new water source for a unique craft brew: recycled water from Louisville MSD.

Important safety upgrades to two vital water quality treatment centers and continuing our progress in reducing pollution from sewer overflows with proceeds from a rate increase taking effect next month.

MSD’s board outlined a preliminary rate proposal in May and voted Monday, July 29, to approve the increase. It will take effect Thursday, August 1, and will increase the average wastewater bill by $3.47 per month and the average stormwater bill by $0.68 per month.

Teachers at Fairdale High School are getting a head start on the upcoming school year with a teacher’s conference at Louisville MSD’s Central Maintenance Facility. The event for approximately 50 teachers uses meeting space at the facility.

By Sharise Horne

Under the Great Lawn in Shawnee Park, sits the MSD Shawnee Park Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Basin. The top of the basin is approximately 12 feet below grade, with three-foot-thick reinforced concrete walls. When it rains, the basin is hard at work protecting the Ohio River, the Park and the neighborhood from combined sewer overflows. 

On Friday, June 21, MSD joined Mayor Greg Fischer and Shawnee Park neighbors to celebrate the end of more than two years of construction work on the basin.

How it works

Louisville MSD’s embracing of technology in helping maintain safe, clean waterways was acknowledged April 15 in winning the 2019 INFORMS Franz Edelman Award. MSD received the award in partnership with Canadian engineering services firm Tetra Tech.

The award acknowledges MSD and Tetra Tech in pioneering the first major application of Csoft Real-Time Control (RTC) for system-wide sewer optimization.

The City of Crestwood Council approved the purchase by Louisville MSD of the City of Crestwood’s sewer system at their meeting on May 1, 2019. MSD already operated and maintained the Crestwood sewer system. This agreement simply moves the ownership of the system to MSD. Crestwood residents will no longer pay the Crestwood debt surcharge—resulting in a lower bill—and will benefit from being a part MSD’s larger system that can provide economies of scale, access to greater resources, more employees to respond to issues, and a dedicated customer service call center.

Wednesday marked the ribbon-cutting for the MSD Clifton Heights Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Basin. Built into a grassy hillside next to the Mellwood Arts and Entertainment Center, the 7 million gallon basin will capture and store wastewater and stormwater during rain events and gradually release it back into the sewer system when treatment capacity is available. 

MSD Executive Director Tony Parrott said the basin will help protect Beargrass Creek and the neighborhood from combined sewer overflows while also offering a park-like setting.

MSD’s work toward supplier diversity means businesses owned and operated by minorities perform millions of dollars in infrastructure and other work for the agency. These efforts were recently recognized by the Tri-State Minority Supplier Development Council (TSMSDC), which awarded MSD its 2019 Impact—Corporation of the Year Award.