News & Events

The 2025 budget will be revisited at next month’s MSD board meeting, when it is slated for final reading. Despite its formal introduction before the board on Thursday, details about the budget have been available since March, when a preliminary overview of next year’s targeted expenses was released.

Voters approved both Proposition W and Proposition S. Both propositions are important in how they can affect customers’ future bills. MSD services all of St. Louis City and around 90% of St. Louis County.

The MSD Board of Trustees has selected the next Executive Director of the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District.  Bret Berthold was chosen Tuesday after an extensive nationwide search, led by GovHR.

Berthold, a registered professional engineer for more than 30 years, has been with the District since 2009 and has served as the Director of Operations since 2018.  As Director of Operations, he oversees operations and maintenance of one of the oldest, largest, and most complex wastewater systems in the U.S.  He also oversaw the creation and implementation of MSD Project Clear’s Capacity Management, Operations, and Maintenance (CMOM) program, an essential part of the District’s agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Missouri Coalition for the Environment.

“This decision comes at the end of a rigorous selection process that involved nearly 40 candidates from across the country,” said Board of Trustees Chair Amy Fehr. “Bret stood out for many reasons, including his deep understanding of our organization at an operational level.  His insights, experience, and leadership qualities assure us that he is well-prepared to lead MSD forward and hit the ground running at a crucial time for the organization.”

Berthold will replace Executive Director Brian Hoelscher, who is retiring in June.  “After 28 years at MSD and eleven years as Executive Director, I can’t think of a single person better suited to continue and improve upon the amazing progress we’ve made,” said Hoelscher.  “Bret is undoubtedly the best person for the job, and we will work closely together the next six months to ensure a seamless transition.”

“I came to the District in 2009 to solve complex problems.  I’m still here because our mission to protect the public’s health, safety, and water environment is so important,” said Berthold.  “Being asked to lead this organization and its hundreds of dedicated and passionate employees in the years ahead is one of greatest honors of my life.”

The MSD Board of Trustees will formalize its decision at its December 14 meeting. Berthold officially takes over as Executive Director on July 1, 2024, after Hoelscher’s planned retirement.

MSD Project Clear (MSDPC) and representatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today a major milestone in MSDPC’s 28-year, $7.2 billion program to improve water quality in the St. Louis region. As of fall 2023, MSDPC has eliminated 85% of known overflow points in the wastewater system, where untreated wastewater overflows during major rain events. This achievement is the result of 247 improvement projects completed by MSD Project Clear in our region over the past decade.

“Reaching this milestone means that our waterways which were previously susceptible to untreated wastewater flows during major rain events are now safer and our water environment is healthier. As we continue to experience more frequent, more intense rain events fueled by climate change, the elimination of these overflow points becomes even more urgent,” Brian Hoelscher, Executive Director and CEO of MSD Project Clear. “The elimination of 85% of overflow points in only ten years is not just a number; it symbolizes the dedication of our team to the community and the environment. Moving forward, our goal is to remove the remaining overflow points in our wastewater system by the end of 2033.”

This work is part of MSDPC’s 28-year, $7.2 billion agreement with EPA and the Missouri Coalition for the Environment (MCE) to address overflows and make other critical wastewater system improvements. As part of this effort, MSDPC is increasing its wastewater collection and treatment capabilities—a complicated, decades-long task in the St. Louis region, with nearly 10,000 miles of public wastewater and stormwater sewers, the nation’s 4th largest.

“Achieving the elimination of 85% of the sewer overflow points is a huge milestone for MSD,” said David Cozad, EPA Region 7 Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division Director. “Through their investment in the sewer system, MSD has eliminated the discharge of hundreds of millions of gallons of untreated wastewater overflows from the streams and rivers of St. Louis, which is a major achievement.”

By the Numbers

• 85% of known overflow points in the wastewater system
• 25% reduction in basement wastewater backups
• More than 650 projects undertaken in total, 247 related to eliminating overflows
• In the last 5 years, MSDPC has built nearly $2 billion in improvements as part of the agreement with EPA/MCE

Other progress

• Four major tunnels underway or complete Maline Creek CSO Storage, Deer Creek, Jefferson Barracks, and Lower Meramec, enabling MSDPC to move more water to treatment facilities more quickly without overflowing the system
• Numerous facility upgrades to wastewater treatment facilities and pump stations
• Creation of new storage facilities to hold wastewater during major rain events and release it into the system for treatment at a controlled rate
• Construction of more than 50 miles of new wastewater sewers
• Rehabilitation of more than 280 miles of sewers lines

Minimizing the effect on customer rates

Given the scale of this program and its efforts to minimize the financial impact on its customers, MSDPC uses a number of methods to minimize increases in its rates.

For example, in each 4-year program cycle, MSDPC asks voters for the authority to issue bonds to fund a large portion of this work. To date, voters have consistently approved this bonding authority which has prevented the need for steep and immediate monthly rate increases. Voters in St. Louis City and County will again be asked to approve bonding authority for the next cycle in April 2024. In addition, MSDPC is now the largest user of state (Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, or SRF) and federal (Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act, or WIFIA) funding in Missouri, further reducing the burden on its customers.

MSDPC also offers a 50% rate reduction to qualified low-income, elderly, and disabled customers under its Customer Assistance Program (CAP).

About MSD Project Clear

MSD Project Clear (MSDPC) is two utilities in one–responsible for nearly 10,000 miles of public wastewater and stormwater sewer systems in the St. Louis region. MSDPC is investing billions of dollars over a generation to improve water quality and minimize wastewater and stormwater issues by monitoring regulatory compliance, planning, designing, and building community rainscaping, system improvements, and an ambitious program of maintenance and repair.

Stay informed on MSD Project Clear initiatives on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and via The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District on LinkedIn and NextDoor.

A massive tunnel that will ultimately be more than 6 miles long is taking shape deep beneath parts of south St. Louis County – a project the region’s sewage utility says will help address overflow and water quality problems that have affected the nearby Meramec River.

MSD is building this tunnel and others to have more space to store wastewater until it can be treated and flushed into the Mississippi River. Right now, that water and overflow ends up in the Meramec River.

Brian Hoelscher, who has led the St. Louis Metropolitan Sewer District for a decade, is retiring next summer after a career spent shepherding a massive infrastructure program that has invested billions to bring the region’s largest sewer system into environmental compliance.

MSD has clear plans to upgrade its wastewater treatment plants. Incinerators at the Bissel and Lemay wastewater treatment plants are about 50 years old and can no longer keep up with state and federal emissions regulations.

When completed in 2025, the 7-mile tunnel will take water to the Lower Meramec Treatment Plant near the confluence of the Meramec and Mississippi rivers. The $175 million tunnel is aimed at reducing overflow and improving water quality throughout the sewer district, said MSD Executive Director and CEO Brian Hoelscher.

MSD Project Clear (MSDPC) is moving forward with plans to address five major wastewater and stormwater issues, after securing nearly $22 million in federal infrastructure funding. The announcement was made today by Governor Mike Parson and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. MSD Project Clear will get more than 5% of the $410 million set aside for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements in Missouri under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources reviewed more than 1,000 applications for funding, scoring each based on financial need, engineering capability, and project necessity. Five MSD Project Clear applications were approved, while three more were approved for potential future funding.

Applications Approved for Funding

• Normandie Wastewater Relief Sewer project
• Watkins Creek channel improvements
• Maline & Dellwood Creek bank stabilization
• Dellwood Creek & Ferguson Branch bank stabilization
• Blackjack Creek bank stabilization

MSD Project Clear worked closely with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to identify the improvement projects most likely to be approved under the program’s scoring system. Four of the approved applications are for stormwater improvements that have no other funding source. One of those improvement projects was previously featured in a video series called Stormwater Stories.

MSD Project Clear has identified more than 500 stormwater problems in St. Louis and St. Louis County that cannot be addressed under the current stormwater funding structure. These are problems that will not get better with time or without a solution. MSD Project Clear is assessing possible stormwater funding solutions, which voters will have the chance to decide on in 2024.

The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is launching a new clean water initiative in an effort to improve water quality around the St. Louis area.

The Metropolitan Sewer District is investing more than $6.5 billion in different kinds of infrastructure including ones that can reduce flooding and improve water quality. This is a timely investment given the storms and floods the area saw Thursday night. Sean Hadley with MSD explained more from the Cortex area.

MSD said having the bond financing would result in a bill increase of about 3.5% each year, taking the average bill from $56 in 2021 to $62 by 2024

Three new members of the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD) Board of Trustees have been sworn in while two other members were elected Chair and Vice-Chair.

Voters in St. Louis and St. Louis County will decide the fate of their sewer district’s $500 million bond question in April after a one-year delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources awarded a total of $41.2 million in financial assistance to the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District for upgrades to its collection system. The project is estimated to cost $43.2 million and is expected to be completed by January 2023.

The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is calling on the public to attend a series of informative town hall meetings that could impact how much residents could be paying for their wastewater bill.

Statement from NACWA CEO Applauds Award Winners’ Dedication to Operational Excellence

(October 28, 2020) – This Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. EST in a live presentation ceremony recorded in Washington, D.C., the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) presented The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD Project Clear or MSDPC) with six of this year’s NACWA Peak Performance Awards. This annual award is presented to honorees who have achieved excellence in operational performance and permit compliance.

Adam Krantz, Chief Executive Officer of NACWA, congratulates this year’s honorees, noting:

“Our public utility members are the backbone of the communities they serve, providing safe, reliable access to clean water services day-in and day-out. The Peak Performance Award ceremony is our chance to shine a national spotlight on those outstanding clean water utilities that have demonstrated operational excellence with no more than five permit violations in a calendar year, and, for our Gold and Platinum Award winners, zero violations.
These utilities represent the top performers in the whole country and go above and beyond in their mission to protect public health and the environment. On behalf of NACWA’s Board of Directors, I extend my congratulations and gratitude to all this year’s award winners and I thank them for their service and their incredible compliance with increasingly rigid Clean Water Act standards. This year has seen unprecedented challenges in the wake of the pandemic, and the Peak Performance Award winners have more than risen to the occasion.”

About the Peak Performance Awards
Platinum Awards Platinum Awards recognize 100% compliance with permits over a consecutive five-year period. Facilities that maintain 100% compliance beyond the initial award are honored with Multi- Platinum Award status.

Gold Awards
Gold Awards are presented to facilities with no permit violations for the entire calendar year.

Silver Awards
Silver Awards are presented to facilities with no more than five violations per calendar year.

The Government Finance Officers Association is setting new virtual learning goals with its incoming president, Marion Gee, as he faces an altered world for his members in the wake of coronavirus.