A LETTER FROM OUR CEO

In challenging times, there are people and services you depend on. We are proud to serve customers and thankful for local leaders who are serving and supporting Northeast Ohioans.

The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District has sustained its 24/7 operation treating wastewater and managing stormwater throughout this pandemic and we remain dedicated to protecting water quality and public health. I would like to share some of that work with you and let you know how we may offer help for your constituents.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, we have remained a full-functioning District. Flexible shift schedules, teleworking, and heightened health and safety efforts have allowed us to maintain service while all our staff meets our operational needs.

Customer service remains one of our highest priorities: While working remotely, our reps have assisted thousands of customers, and Watershed Team Leaders have been actively engaged resources for all our member communities.

Following the guidance of Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and the Ohio Department of Health, we continue to focus on proper social distancing, face coverings, and appropriate personal protection equipment for all employees who remain at and return to our facilities.

The aftermath of COVID-19 may be felt well into the future. This is the case for cities and states and the country. We are planning today for the potential impact.

Our initial projections show a potential $70- to $110-million revenue loss across wastewater and stormwater for 2020. We could see these impacts into 2021 and 2022 as well. I recognize that these are conservative projections, but it is our responsibility to plan for such high-impact scenarios. To manage this, we are delaying some cash funded projects in both wastewater and stormwater, and limiting spending and hiring over the next three months. We continue to monitor and modify revenue projections as information on consumption and collections becomes available over the coming months.

We are also tracking efforts on the State and Federal level in providing relief resources for utilities such as ours. We are actively working at the federal level on funding for utilities to cover revenue impacts, infrastructure repair and renewal and funding for low income customer assistance programs. As with our evolving revenue projections, we will keep you up to date on these efforts as well.

Your constituents may be facing challenges of their own. If you are aware of residents with difficulty paying utility bills, our customer service representatives are available to help them apply for one of several cost-saving programs we offer. If there is information we can provide regarding rates, construction projects, or our work in your community, we are here to help you.

We are a resource and a service you can depend on. We are working for you. And we’re in this together. Be well.
 
Sincerely,
 
Kyle Dreyfuss-Wells
Chief Executive Officer