The upcoming rain and storms could cause major problems for residents in one Ballwin neighborhood. Erosion is eating away at their backyards on Vernal Hill Ct., and homeowners tell First Alert 4 it’s getting worse each year. Kyle Gilhaus is anxious to see erosion creep closer and closer to his backyard.
These improvements will drastically reduce the number of basement backups and overflows into the environment. Some parts of the wastewater system are over 150 years old, so improvements need to be made.
MSD is under a consent decree to complete $7.2 billion of projects over a nearly three-decade timeline to stop sewer overflows and sewage into rivers. MSD says it needs $750 million to cover the next four-year cycle of projects.
The renewed push comes as the St. Louis region’s flood risk grows, made worse by more severe downpours wrought by climate change and development trends that easily overwhelm streams with runoff and jeopardize homes in low-lying areas. Hoelscher said he thinks that damage from severe flash flooding in 2022 may have helped generate more support for Prop S, compared to 2019.
April 2 is General Municipal Election Day in Missouri. Voters covered by the Metropolitan Sewer District will vote on two propositions.
Across the Metro, we’ve seen flash flooding damage streets and homes. The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is asking for money from your pockets to make infrastructure changes.
On April 2, 2024, customers of MSD Project Clear in St. Louis City and County will decide two important ballot issues, one for wastewater and one for stormwater. MSDPC protects the public’s health, safety, and water environment by responsibly managing both wastewater and stormwater. The St. Louis region’s water management problems continue to change, fueled by more frequent, more powerful storms due to climate change. These challenges, along with funding differences are causing the success of these programs to diverge—wastewater for the better, stormwater for the worse.
Proposition W will determine how wastewater services will be funded over the next four years, while Proposition S would create the first regional program to address growing stormwater problems like flooding and erosion in St. Louis City and County.
To educate voters about Propositions W and S, MSD Project Clear is hosting two virtual and six in person meetings throughout the region. Everyone is encouraged to attend one of these meetings to learn more about these ballot issues. The links for the virtual meetings can be found at MSDProjectClear.org/ballot. The full list of meetings is below.
Much of St. Louis’ wastewater system is over one hundred years old including hundreds of miles of sewers built before 1890. Proposition W is a response to MSDPC’s agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Missouri Coalition for the Environment to make $7.2 billion in improvements to the region’s wastewater system over 28 years, bringing it into full compliance with the Clean Water Act. This program began in 2012, and bond issues similar to Proposition W, approved by voters 2012, 2016, and 2021, have helped fund more than 650 system improvements, eliminated 85% of untreated sewage overflows into the environment, and reduced basement backups by one quarter. Further improvements must be done as part of the federal agreement, so Proposition W again asks voters how they want to fund the next round of upgrades.
PROPOSITION W will decide whether MSDPC will issue bonds, borrowing part of funds needed for the next four years of required wastewater system improvements. This work protects more households from sewage backups and more untreated sewage from entering creeks and streams, so this question gives voters two options how they want to fund these improvements.
PROPOSITION S would address the region’s sharply rising number of stormwater problems. Voters will decide whether they want MSDPC to address flooding and erosion problems being fueled by climate change. There is currently no funding for these regional improvements.
More information about Props W and S on the April 2 ballot is available at MSDProjectClear.org/ballot.
Tuesday, March 19 from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Virtual – Zoom
Wednesday, March 20 from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
St. Louis County Library Florissant Valley Branch – Meeting Room 1
195 South New Florissant Road, Florissant MO
Thursday, March 21 from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
St. Louis County Library Cliff Cave Branch – Meeting Room 1
5430 Telegraph Road, St. Louis MO
Monday, March 25 from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Virtual – Zoom
Monday, March 25 from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Richmond Heights City Hall – Council Chambers
1330 South Big Bend Boulevard, Richmond Heights MO
Tuesday, March 26 from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Chesterfield City Hall – Council Chambers
690 Chesterfield Parkway West, Chesterfield MO
Wednesday, March 27 from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Fenton City Hall – Board Room
625 South New Smizer Mill Road, Fenton MO
Thursday, March 28 from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District – Room 109
2350 Market Street, St. Louis MO
MSD Project Clear (MSDPC) is cleaning up after a wastewater overflow in Creve Coeur. It was discovered Tuesday morning in a wooded area behind the Ridgemoor Forest neighborhood. MSDPC crews were investigating reports of an odor when they found a sewer pipe that was blocked with debris, rocks, and other material that should not be in the sewers.
After clearing the blockage and stopping the overflow, efforts are now focused on cleanup. Crews will be using temporary dams and pumps to catch and remove any wastewater that got into the creek. The work is expected to continue into the weekend. Sewer service will not be affected.
Warning signs have been posted in the area, advising the public of the cleanup. While there is no immediate threat to health or safety, everyone is asked to avoid direct contact with Fern Ridge Creek between North Mason Road and Cross Creek Drive until the cleanup is complete and the warning signs have been removed. Anyone who comes in contact with wastewater should immediately and thoroughly wash with soap and water.
MSDPC has reported the incident to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
MSD’s newly aggressive approach to collect on unpaid sewer bills follows a Missouri Court of Appeals ruling in 2021. The court allowed public sewer districts like MSD to keep unpaid bills as liens on a property even if those properties are foreclosed by the government for unpaid taxes, a process meant to clear land of past debts to make it easier for a new owner to put the property back into productive use.
