Soft-water conversion, part of $70M plan, completed

City tells customers to adjust settings to reflect new levels.

MIAMISBURG - The city of Miamisburg has completed its water softening process.

Miamisburg water customers who have softener units are being reminded to adjust their settings to reflect a hardness level of seven grains per gallon, the city posted on Twitter.

Questions can be directed to the Miamisburg Public Works Department at 937-847-6635.

The city began producing soft water last fall as one of the last significant phases in a five-year, $70 million water and sewer system overhaul.

The $70 million plan was approved in 2014 and is being financed by a series of annual rate increases to the city’s estimated 7,800 customers. Many of the upgrades were mandated by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, city officials have said.

The last of the rate hikes went into effect Sept. 1 and are scheduled to be reflected on January customer bills, according to the city. The latest increase would bring the average quarterly water charges to $143.06 and sewer charges to $168.42, according to the city.

Faced with paying for EPA-required fixes in recent years or giving up its autonomy on water and sewer service, council unanimously passed the long-term plan and approved the rate hikes in the 2014 after discussing the issue.