HAMILTON — After four years of bitter and costly legal wrangling, Butler County and Hamilton are expected to settle their water-rate dispute today.

        The county commissioners and city council will hold a rare joint meeting in council's chambers to approve an agreement that will lower the water rates for county customers without raising the rates of city customers.

        City and county officials say this agreement not only will end costly litigation, but will usher in an era of cooperation between Butler and its county seat.

        “I'm glad this is happening,” Commissioner Courtney Combs said. “We need to get this settlement approved and behind us and work together in economic development and other areas that can save the taxpayers money.”

        “It's a positive for both the city and the county,” Hamilton Mayor Donald Ryan said. The root of the water rate battle is a 1989 contract that requires Butler to buy water from Hamilton to serve West Chester, Liberty, and Fairfield townships and part of Lemon Township.

        The county accused Hamilton of overcharging for water, causing Butler's customers to pay one of the highest rates in Ohio. Hamilton defended its water prices as fair.

        The battle has cost Butler County and Hamilton more than $1 million each in legal fees.

        The average county residential customer pays $25 to $30 per month, while the average Hamilton residential customer pays $15 per month.

        County officials say they don't know yet how much this new agreement will lower county customers' water rates.

        “We feel it's going to be a decent decrease,” Mr. Combs said. “But we won't know much until we conduct a rate study after this agreement is signed.”

        According to the agreement:

        • Hamilton will reduce by about half the price it charges Butler for water in excess of 8 million gallons per day.

        Butler is using an average of 9 million gallons per day from Hamilton and county officials expect that total to rise.

        • As long as Butler buys a minimum of 8 million gallons a day, it can buy additional water from other sources or can build its own water production facility. Butler also can sell water to other communities.

        • Butler will stop charging its customers higher rates to pay Hamilton for the county's $30 million share of improvements to Hamilton's water system. The county will pay that debt by borrowing money.

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