HAMILTON — Starting this week, Butler County water customers, whose bills have been among the highest in Ohio, are getting a break on the water rate.

The county commissioners approved on Thursday an across-the-board 12 percent reduction in the water rate that had been planned since the settlement in April of the water-rate dispute between the county and Hamilton.

The commissioners made the lower water rate effective from Tuesday of this week. It will mean a savings of $4 to $5 a month for the average residential water user.

Butler County buys water from Hamilton to serve West Chester, Liberty and Fairfield townships and part of Lemon Township.

The county and Hamilton had been embroiled in a long legal battle over water rates. The county had accused Hamilton of overcharging for water, while the city contended that its prices were fair.

As part of the settlement, the county assumed about $30 million in debt for improvements in Hamilton's water system, and the city agreed to reduce its prices.

The county, which had paid for Hamilton's water improvements through higher water prices, is paying off that debt at favorable interest rates. This arrangement saves the county $2.4 million a year, said Tony Parrott, director of the Butler County Department of Environmental Services.

“We're passing all that savings on to the customers,” Mr. Parrott said.

In anticipation of the water-rate settlement with Hamilton, county officials refrained in January from imposing a 4 percent increase in the water rate.

“So the total reduction in the water rate this year is 16 percent,” Mr. Parrott said.

E-mail skemme@enquirer.com

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