A 2018 Kentucky law granted utilities the ability to own assets outside of their originally chartered borders. The law enables utilities like MSD to take a holistic approach for wastewater treatment and watershed management, benefiting public health and safety across political boundaries.
Waterways meander over county lines throughout our region as they make their way to the Ohio River. A regional approach to wastewater management eliminates the duplication of administrative and operational costs in multiple counties within the same watershed. Since enactment of the 2018 law, MSD has acquired wastewater operations in Bullitt County, Oldham County, and the City of Crestwood, adding them to its original Jefferson County operations.
Bullitt County
MSD took ownership of facilities formerly operated by the Bullitt County Sanitation District in 2021 under an agreement with BCSD and Bullitt County Fiscal Court. The former BCSD facilities serve 4,200 residential customers with eight small "package" wastewater treatment plants.
The agreement makes it possible for MSD to replace many of the “package” treatment plants that are past their useful service with a regional solution, improving the sewer service reliability in the area and the health of local waterways. A capital improvement plan is being developed to address aging and failing systems and take advantage of regional economies of scale to benefit the ratepayers in both counties.
City of Crestwood
MSD has operated and maintained the City of Crestwood sewer system for more than 20 years and purchased it from the city in 2019, resulting in a $10 rate reduction for Crestwood customers.
Oldham County
MSD acquired the facilities formerly owned by the Oldham County Environmental Authority (OCEA) in 2019. For OCEA customers, this means lower wastewater rates in the future. MSD is managing system improvements while creating greater operational efficiencies that benefit all of its customers. Under the agreement, MSD assumed OCEA’s duties and responsibilities for approximately 6,000 residential customers.
