Who We Are, What We Do
MSD is a publicly operated wastewater utility serving the City of Cincinnati, Hamilton County, other Hamilton County (Ohio) political subdivisions, as well as parts of three adjacent counties (Butler, Clermont, and Warren). In addition, the many visitors to our region—from sporting event spectators to family reunion attendees—use the services that our infrastructure provides. MSD’s ratepayer base includes approximately 230,000 residential and commercial users, and 250 industrial users, who represent a population of about 855,000. To date, the northwestern part of Hamilton County and portions of adjacent counties remain without public sewers.
Note: Click the image above for a larger view with legend.
MSD manages a vast and complex network of infrastructure that is worth billions in physical assets. The sewage collection and treatment network spans an area that covers approximately 290 square miles, contains over 200,000 separate sewer connections, and includes approximately 2,994 miles of sanitary and combined sewers. MSD partners with other utilities and cities that are similarly dependent upon the Ohio River and its tributaries for wastewater discharge and drinking water, including Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania), Louisville (Kentucky), and Paducah (Kentucky).
Note: The image above shows some important events in MSD's early history. Click the image for a larger view of the MSD timeline from the 1800s to 2010.
In 2009, MSD operated seven major wastewater treatment plants, more than 120 pump
stations, and three package treatment plants, which collectively treated approximately
167 million gallons per day of collected wastewater. Treated water (called effluent) is
released into the region’s creeks and rivers. We protect the natural environment by ensuring
that wastewater is treated to required standards. Concurrently, we are also working to
reduce the occurrences of wastewater entering waterways during heavy rain events, when
the sewer system becomes overloaded.
MSD uses a 5-year capital planning cycle for the repair, replacement, or improvement of its physical infrastructure assets. The capital budget is $165 million for 2010, and is estimated at $908 million for the 5-year planning cycle of 2010 to 2014.
