The Great KC Sewer financial scare

[chrizow]

we just defecate in the street, anyway.  no biggie.

[aknowledgeableperson]

  Imagine what they could charge in green fees!  Your analogy would also hold up a little better if playing golf were indeed an essential life requirement for the entire population of the city - kind of like running water/sewers.

The interesting thing is if the plant becomes operated by a private operator do the rates charged come under state control like a non-municipal operated utility.  My take on this goes the other way.  The city will retain ownership of the plant(s) with the council approving the rates charged much like it does now (the council to my knowledge does not approve cable rates charged so don't use that comparison).  Afterall, the sewer rates in the water bill encompasses more than the actual treatment of waste such as maintenace of the sewer lines and payment of sewer bonds.  The main plant faces a huge cost to upgrade.  The city could issue bonds to pay for these costs directly or could enter into a management contract and have the manager pay these costs and at the same time operate the plant more efficiently.

People go around and complain about city workers sleeping on the job while waiting for a cement truck (which could arrive anytime and the crew has to be there when it arrives or the truck leaves), or when they see 3 workers standing around leaning on shovels while a fourth is in a ditch only big enough for one.  Here is a chance to get rid of those no good city workers and replace them with B&V employees and people still complain.

[LenexatoKCMO]

The interesting thing is if the plant becomes operated by a private operator do the rates charged come under state control like a non-municipal operated utility. 

No.  Plus the operator would be guaranteed a rate of return over and above the operating cost - likely with little city say in those costs.  So the city looses cost control and gaurantees a profit - not a good recipie for low rates. 

(the council to my knowledge does not approve cable rates charged so don't use that comparison).

Somewhat false - the city does approve the monopoly franchise contracts with the cable operators.  Those contracts contain the largely toothless price protections intended to protect consumers from gouging. Yet everyone's asshole still manages to feel pretty gouged when they get their bill.  Why - because cities in general tend to universally be very weak and ineffective monopoly regulators. 

[aknowledgeableperson]

No.  Plus the operator would be guaranteed a rate of return over and above the operating cost - likely with little city say in those costs.  So the city looses cost control and gaurantees a profit - not a good recipie for low rates. 

And an inefficient and bloated city run operation results in low rates.


Believe the city still has contracts with Johnson Controls to make the city's buildings more energy efficient.  JC invested a ton of money into the facilities with the idea of JC getting its return via payment from the city out of the savings from utility bills.  For example, if the city saved a dollar then JC received $.50.  Now whether JC's improvements generated enough savings for it to make a profit on its investment I don't know.  When it comes to privatization contracts like the one being discussed currently this was the type of contracts the city wished to enter into with private companies.  Especially when the city was faced with large upfront costs for improvements like what is being faced at Blue River Treatment. 

[DaveKCMO]

https://local.nixle.com/alert/4855711/?sub_id=898153

Join Mayor Sly James, Mayor Pro Tem Cindy Circo and others in a press conference to celebrate the completion and success of the Middle Blue River Basin Green Solutions Pilot Project on Monday, July 16 at 9:30 a.m. at 1436/1437 E. 75th Terrace.

This event will designate the Marlborough Neighborhood as the City’s first KC Green Neighborhood and will demonstrate the absorption of pervious sidewalks.

The City’s Overflow Control Program is one of the greenest in the country, and the conclusion of this first pilot project is significant. The next green pilot project will launch this summer and, in collaboration with the U.S. EPA, the City will measure the effectiveness of this green solution to manage overflows.

[flyingember]

the oct 2013 kc stats video had an update

they just finished year 3 of the 25 year project. they claim to be ahead of schedule and under budget

[DaveKCMO]

https://www.kcwaterservices.org/stormwa ... Y8.twitter

[flyingember]

https://twitter.com/KCMO/status/1102986434871472128

We have an updated chart 9 years in. 16 years to go.

$520 million has been spent with $4.2 billion still to come.

There's work underway to change the timeline and reduce costs.
https://twitter.com/KCMO/status/1102985401256603649

Apparently voluntary projects have reduced rainwater entry into the system by 25 million gallons daily so the combined sewer system functions less as a combined system and it's cheaper than the alternative work.
https://twitter.com/KCMO/status/1102986809871646721
http://kcmo.gov/rain/