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Sewer Rate Information - Scroll down the page for more information
Please clink on the links below to get information.
Letters Regarding Rates
Additional Public Record Requests made to the City
Note: The City has not responded to any of the Records Requested To-Date.
When/If they do, the responses will be posted here.
In 1982 & 1984, the US EPA and US Congress issued the "User Charge Guidance Manual for Publicly-Owned Treatment Works" which provides instructions on how to assess sewer rates for different municipal authorities. (See document to the right)
This document was used to create the existing Agreements that were in place between the County and the City. The County wants to continue to use these guidelines to ensure Cost Proportionate rates are assessed. The City wants to abandon the use of these guidelines in order to collect more money from Lordstown & Champion.
Example: It is the County's position that Lordstown residents should not have to pay for Warren's sewer collection system because Lordstown waste does not travel through Warren's sewers and the County is responsible for all maintenance and repairs done on Lordstown sewers. Instead, Lordstown residents should only have to pay for the treatment of their waste that is processed at the Warren wastewater facility in proportion to how much their flows adds to total treated at the plant (pay for their piece of the pie).
The City has conducted a number of studies recently on their sewers and treatment plant. The County has requested copies of these documents to review them and ensure the City is not trying to charge the County for improvements/repairs that should not be paid for by County residents.
Below are the reports requested. Hold the mouse over the Report Title to see how the City has cooperated with the County's request.
Requested Reports from the City
How Are Sewer Rates Established?
Existing County & City Agreements found below and areas they represent are shown on the map:
Link to News Articles Regarding Sewer Rates
Emails & Hard-Copy Cover Letters for Documents Provided to the City
Note: In order for a Municipality be awarded Grant money from the Ohio EPA, the Municipality MUST have followed these USEPA guidelines. This is especially important because if Warren plans to ask for Grant money for their plant upgrades, they will be disqualified if they do not follow Congress approved USEPA guidelines.
Additional Note: Warren is under NO EPA Findings & Orders or Mandates to do any improvements to the wastewater treatment plant.
*It is our understanding the documents were hand delivered to the City on March 16, 2018
**The signed 02.08.18 Letter will be uploaded when County staff returns from vacation.**
Frequently Asked Questions:
Question - Why are the rates going up??
Answer - The County has continued to request documentation from the City, including copies of all studies that they performed, to try to answer that question. Based on early City comments, which are documented in the Jan and Feb news articles (see above), it appears the City is attempting to fund upgrades to their Warren Water Pollution Control Facility.
If you would like to submit additional questions, please feel free to do so below and we'll do our best to answer as quickly as possible.
Question - How do I contact Warren City Council Members?
Answer - Go to http://warren.org/warren_city_council_members or click on the link to the right ->
You are encouraged to contact your Ward Council person & the Council-at-Large:
Daniel Sferra (Water/WPC Chairman)
Eddie Colbert (Finance Chairman)
Helen Rucker (Community Development/Economic Development Chairman)
Question - I don't understand why there should be differences in the sewer cost charged to residents in Warren, Lordstown, Champion, or a resident that lives in Warren but have their sewage treated by the County?
Answer - Warren resident's sewage that travels through Warren sewers, is treated at the Warren plant. Warren staff read your water meters, and Warren accounting bills the resident. This is what is commonly referred to as "Retail" or "Full" service. Should a problem need fixed on Warren sewers, Warren personnel would be responsible for the manpower, equipment, replacement parts, and all costs. All of these residents would be in the Warren City Sewer District and by law, all sewer users within a district must be charged the same rate.
If you live in Lordstown and Champion and you have a problem with your sewer, you would call the County Sanitary Department to fix the problem not the City of Warren. Additionally, if you called the City, they would refer you to the County. The County is responsible for maintaining (cleaning) and fixing all the sewers and manholes that make up the collection system. The County also reads your meters and bills you accordingly. Lordstown sewage travels through the County sewers until it discharges at the head of the Warren Water Pollution Control Plant where it mixes with all the other collected waste in the Region and is treated. Champion sewage travels through the County sewers and is then discharged into Warren sewers at a certain point and only uses a portion of Warren's sewers to reach the treatment plant. These customers are in the County's Metropolitan Sewer District and are charged the same rate as other customers in the Metropolitan Sewer District.
So, depending on where you live, the County or the City may be the ones responsible for your sewer lines and billing. However, ultimately both Districts sewage is treated at the Warren facility. Under the previous agreements, the math took in to account the portion your sewage used for treatment costs at Warren's facility and you were billed based on that proportion. These arrangements are commonly referred to as "Wholesale" service. Resident's pay the County to manage the sewage system (maintenance, repair, and billing) and Warren for the treatment. (See 1987 Champion and Lordstown Agreement above)
The "Specials" Warren resident sewage actually goes through County sewers and is treated at the County's wastewater treatment plant. The County bills Warren, and Warren then makes up the difference in the sewer bills because under the "1982 Payment for Warren Residence in Areas not Specifically Covered by Prior Agreements", Warren acknowledged they wanted all City residents to pay the same rate no matter where the sewage was treated so they agreed to make up any differences that existed. (See 1982 EQ or Specials Agreement above)
Question - I would like maps of all sewer districts managed Warren City and those managed by Trumbull County.
Answer - We are working on collecting those maps and will continue to post them as we are able to acquire them. Click on the links to the right to view the maps:
