By John Kiesewetter
The Cincinnati Enquirer

HAMILTON - About 40,000 Butler County residents received another reprieve Monday when county commissioners decided not to raise their sewer rates.

For the fourth consecutive year, commissioners declined to increase rates for residents connected to county sewer lines in Monroe and Trenton townships. Middletown, Hamilton and Oxford operate their own sewer systems.

"This is a great way to start off the new year," said Commissioner Charles R. Furmon.

A 5 percent sewer fee increase had been projected by commissioners in 2000, said Tony Parrott, director of the Butler County Department of Environmental Services. County sewer customers pay about $29.50 per month.

Parrott has been able to save $900,000 by automation, which has allowed him to cut 30 of 170 positions by attrition, increase capacity at treatment plants and begin using new computer software.

Without the four annual rate increases, customers are paying $57 less per year than projected in 2000, he said. At the same time, the county has added 5,451 sewer customers in the last four years.

"Automation has saved us a lot of money," Parrott said. "We've worked hard at this. We really feel a sense of accomplishment that we've been able to keep rates consistent."

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E-mail jkiesewetter@enquirer.com