Frequently Asked Questions
Managing the stormwater and wastewater systems for the St. Louis region is a complex job. The team at MSD is here to help you make sense of it all. Find answers to common questions about residential and commercial property billing below. If you still have questions, don’t hesitate to contact us anytime.
Residential and Commercial Properties
All MSD bills include a wastewater user charge. You will notice a change to your MSD bill effective on July 1. The new rate will be reflected on the bill you receive in August.
Wastewater for residential customers:
The wastewater user charge includes a base charge and a usage charge. The wastewater user charge can be determined in one of two ways.
It is either a charge per hundred cubic feet (CCF) of water or a charge based on the number of rooms, baths, and water closets (toilets) in the structure. A CCF is about 750 gallons. Single family homes with a water meter are billed based on the winter quarter water meter reading (Jan 1- Mar 31) either the winter-quarter reading or on each water meter reading. The property owner determines which reading is used.
Wastewater for commercial customers:
Commercial/Industrial properties are billed on each water meter reading, with additional charges for sewage discharged into the public system that requires specialized treatment. If a product or process uses water, the company can contact MSD for a possible reduction in the water usage. This reduction is based on how much water enters and exits the sewer system.
All water data is obtained by MSD from the area water providers.
You can find more information regarding the rates here.
MSD offers a Customer Assistance Program for qualified low-income, elderly, and disabled customers who receive sewer service from MSD. You must own and/or reside as a tenant in the property for which you are applying to receive a rate reduction. Customers will receive a rate reduction equal to 50 percent of the current charges for wastewater services on their monthly sewer bill.
Customers who wish to apply for the Customer Assistance Program must complete an application and return it to MSD’s Accounts Receivable (A/R) Department. To request an application, call 1 (866) 281-5737.
Rate reductions for approved applicants shall begin on the first full month following approval of the application. Rate reduction will remain in effect for a period of two years from the date of approval. All applicants must reapply bi-annually.
You can view and pay your MSD bill online by clicking here and following the instructions. You can enroll in our eBilling program to receive an email notification when your bill is ready for viewing. You can also make a one-time payment or enroll in SmartPay to have you bill automatically withdrawn from you bank or credit card account. MSD accepts payments from your checking or savings account, American Express, Discover, Mastercard, and Visa credit cards. Payments can also be made using your debit card with the Mastercard or Visa logo.
Yes. If you have two or more properties and all accounts are current, all of your properties can be summarized on one bill and mailed to you at one address through Summary Billing. To enroll, click 
Summary Bill Registration Form. Once completed, email the form to billingquest@stlmsd.com, fax it to (314) 768-6348 or mail it to the address below:
Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District
Attn: Accounts Receivable/Group Bill
2350 Market Street
St. Louis, MO 63103-2555
Fax: (314) 768-6348
Or contact the Call Center at 1 (866) 281-5737.
MSD gets its billing information from two sources: 1) the title insurance company at the time of a property sale, and 2) the water company when the new occupant applies for water service.
If you are going through a title insurance company, your balance due is settled at closing. At that time, the new owner’s name is given to us and the account is changed.
If you are not purchasing title insurance, you need to contact the MSD Call Center to discuss the change. The number is 1 (866) 281-5737.
In order for the wastewater billing to stop, you must make a written request to the appropriate water company servicing your area to discontinue water service to the property. Once we receive information from the water provider indicating the water service has been terminated, the MSD account will be discontinued.
MSD performs three major stormwater services:
The first is overall stormwater management throughout the service area. Some of these activities include enforcement of rules and regulations for stormwater improvements that can be made in our community; stormwater complaint investigation and logging; evaluation of all stormwater issues within MSD’s boundaries; and water quality sampling and monitoring of area creeks and rivers.
The second stormwater service MSD provides is ensuring that efforts are undertaken to comply with our area’s Phase II stormwater Permit with the State of Missouri. MSD is a co-permittee with 59 local municipalities and St. Louis County for the permit. Accordingly, MSD performs area wide services as part of that permit. These services include regular inspection of area creeks for illegal discharges; public education on Phase II requirements; and coordination of all permit related activities performed by local municipalities and St. Louis County.
The third service is the ownership and maintenance of the hard stormwater infrastructure, which includes stormwater sewers, inlets, manholes, and concrete channels.
Taxes include:
- General Administrative Tax (1.95¢ per $100 Assessed Valuation)
- Districtwide Stormwater Operations and Maintenance Tax (10.0¢ per $100 Assessed Valuation)
- Operations, Maintenance, Construction and Improvement Taxes (OMCI) (All currently set at 0.0¢.)
You can find more information regarding stormwater taxes here.
Commercial Properties
The compliance charge is assessed for all non-residential accounts. It helps to recover only the costs associated with regulatory activities required by the USEPA and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. A compliance charge has actually been in effect since 1992, and was $31.95 per month prior to July 1, 2012.
The compliance charge is assessed for all non-residential accounts. It helps to recover only the costs associated with regulatory activities required by the USEPA and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. A compliance charge has actually been in effect since 1992, and was $31.95 per month prior to July 1, 2012.
Previously, the compliance charge was a flat rate for all non-residential accounts. It is now a tiered rate, more accurately reflecting the actual costs involved for Federal and State regulatory requirements to inspect and sample companies. In addition to changing to a more equitable tiered rate, MSD has also re-evaluated the costs involved and program requirements, and has been able to make changes to greatly reduce the overall impact of the compliance charge.
For the vast majority of non-residential accounts, the compliance charge will decrease. However, certain companies that Federal and State regulations require to be inspected or have their wastewater sampled will see their compliance charge increase, due to the costs involved in conducting the inspections and sampling. Your facility is one of the companies that these regulations encompass.
| As of | July 1, 2012 | July 1, 2013 | July 1, 2014 | July 1, 2015 |
| Tier 1 | $23.00 | $16.00 | $9.00 | $2.15 |
| Tier 2 | $39.80 | $41.85 | $43.55 | $44.50 |
| Tier 3 | $84.75 | $89.15 | $92.75 | $94.80 |
| Tier 4 | $124.25 | $130.70 | $136.00 | $139.00 |
| Tier 5 | $163.75 | $172.25 | $179.25 | $183.15 |
Previously, the compliance charge was a flat rate for all non-residential accounts. It is now a tiered rate, more accurately reflecting the actual costs involved for Federal and State regulatory requirements to inspect and sample companies. In addition to changing to a more equitable tiered rate, MSD has also re-evaluated the costs involved and program requirements, and has been able to make changes to greatly reduce the overall impact of the compliance charge.
For the vast majority of non-residential accounts, the compliance charge will decrease. However, certain companies that Federal and State regulations require to be inspected or have their wastewater sampled will see their compliance charge increase, due to the costs involved in conducting the inspections and sampling. Your facility is one of the companies that these regulations encompass.
| Criteria & Associated Expenses | |
| Tier 1 | basic regulatory activities |
| Tier 2 | basic regulatory activities + inspection |
| Tier 3 | basic regulatory activities + inspection + 1 sample point (sampling equipment, manpower, laboratory analysis) |
| Tier 4 | basic regulatory activities + inspection + 2 sample points (sampling equipment, manpower, laboratory analysis) |
| Tier 5 | basic regulatory activities + inspection + 3 or more sample points (sampling equipment, manpower, lab analysis) |
Compliance Charge Rates can be found here.
For additional information contact the Division of Environmental Compliance at 314-436-8710.
Federal and State regulations require MSD to monitor any company that could potentially adversely impact MSD’s sewer system or personnel. The impact could occur through accident, spill, or improper release of materials at the facility.
The same Federal and State regulations that require MSD to inspect companies also require MSD to sample the wastewater discharge to verify compliance with regulations.
Federal and State regulations require separate sample points for certain operations. In addition, you may have more than one internal sewer line, or lateral. Each lateral is sampled separately, since regulations apply individually for each line.
Yes, each non-residential account will receive a compliance charge. Required regulatory activities are more extensive for facilities large or busy enough to have more than one water and sewer bill.
However, only one bill for a particular premise will receive a compliance charge at Tier 2, 3, 4, or 5. The other sewer bills at that premise will receive only the minimum Tier 1 compliance charge. In addition, the minimum compliance charge for those additional accounts will further reduce to $2.15 per month by July 1, 2015.
Note that if you have properties at various locations, each location may receive one sewer bill with a compliance charge at Tier 2, 3, 4, or 5, depending on the activities that regulations require for that location.
Compliance Charge Rates can be found here.
You would have to change operations at your company in such a way that inspections and sampling are no longer required. This generally means eliminating what your company currently does.
If you have more than one sample point, you could also consolidate them into fewer sample points. However, Federal and State regulations require separate sample points for certain operations. In addition, the expense involved in relocating or replacing your internal sewer lines likely will be much more than the cost savings from reduced sample points. Contact the Environmental Compliance Division to discuss: (314) 436-8710.
The compliance charge is applied to all non-residential accounts. The only way to remove the compliance charge is to cease operations.
If you are in Tier 1, you are receiving the minimum compliance charge.
Certain companies that Federal and State regulations require to be inspected or have their wastewater sampled are placed in a higher tier (Tiers 2 through 5), due to the costs involved in conducting the inspections and sampling. Your facility is one of the companies that these regulations encompass.
For a list of the Compliance Charge tiers and rates click here
The regulatory activities and expenses that the compliance charge recovers are primarily required for and directed toward commercial and other non-residential entities.
You can call MSD’s Division of Environmental Compliance at (314) 436-8710, and ask for the inspector who handles your company.