“We are going to become a full public utility,” Franklin City Manager Jonathan Westendorf said.
The Miami Conservancy District built the facility, which was completed in 1972 at 201 Baxter Drive. The MCD in the 1980s began actions to divest the regional plant. Since 1987 it has been operated by a third party, now Veolia, and a 20-year public-private partnership finalized in July 1995 included a $6.8 million sale with service and lease agreements.
“It was decided by the member communities that plant contract operations by Veolia were no longer the best financial option for the communities, therefore, Warren County (a member of the joint venture) will be operating the plant,” Shields said.
The cities of Vandalia, Huber Heights and Tipp City also operate their wastewater facility as a joint venture, TriCities Wastewater Authority, after MCD divested the North Regional Plant. However, the Franklin plant agreements predate that one and came before Ohio law changes to allow the formation of joint ventures, Shields said.
The Franklin facility is 53-year-old and uses older technology, though there have been upgrades through the years. Work on modernization will start immediately once the changeover takes effect, Westendorf said.
Sewer rates are set by each community, but the change is not expected to affect rates.
In Franklin, the plan is to keep rates the same over the next three years.
“We feel like we are able to save our residents a lot of money,” Westendorf said.
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