WARREN — Trumbull County Commissioner Denny Malloy said at Tuesday’s weekly workshop meeting the Meander Dam may require up to $100 million for future repairs.

“I was told, when Tom Holloway was running the Mahoning Valley Sanitary District a year ago, that they need about $55 million for repairs at the Meander Dam,” Malloy said. “With a heavy rain scenario, they were at high risk of losing the dam, wiping out Mineral Ridge and losing our water supply.”

He noted MVSD, at the time, had more than $30 million set aside and requested the county provide the remaining $20 million using American Rescue Plan funds.

“We did not have that amount at the time, we were at our last $6 million,” Malloy said. “They just had a new evaluation on the dam and it now will cost more than $100 million. They have to fix the dam.”

Meander Reservoir is one of the area’s prime sources of drinking water, servicing 220,000 customers. The Meander Dam is more than 93 years old.

“Now there will be a drastic rate increase in the bulk water rate they will have to charge us, Niles and others,” Malloy said. “We are looking at them almost doubling the rate they charge to NIles. We may have to double our water rates to make up the difference because of the repairs at Meander Dam.”

He said the commissioners just had a major battle for a rate increase that passed recently.

Trumbull County Sanitary Engineer Gary Newbrough doesn’t know what any future rates will be, but he does not think the increase will be that much.

Commissioner Tony Bernard questioned whether the county can purchase more water from Aqua Ohio.

“We can look at that, commissioner,” Newbrough said.

WATER RATE INCREASE

Trumbull County commissioners unanimously approved a contentious water-rate increase in April, implementing a flat $11.75 per 1,000 gallons across all county districts — the first comprehensive rate adjustment in 10 years.

Records show the department has operated at a loss since 2019, with last year’s $1.5 million deficit projected to go to $1.6 million this year.

The approved rate fell 25 cents short of the $12 per 1,000 gallons engineers said was needed to break even, but includes unprecedented oversight measures to restore public trust.

Commissioner Tony Bernard, who spearheaded the compromise, insisted on a state performance audit — the first in the water department’s 58-year history — alongside a new 12-member Water Advisory Council with representatives from each township and city in the county system.

“We’re not rubber-stamping increases,” Bernard said previously. “This audit will show whether we’re looking at inefficiencies or if this is simply the true cost of water in 2025.”

His original six-month review proposal was extended to a full year after commissioners raised concerns about seasonal usage variations skewing the data.

The discussion brought up talk of years of systemic neglect, with Commissioner Denny Malloy detailing how $15 million in critical maintenance had been deferred since 2015.

For the average household using 4,000 gallons monthly, bills will rise from

$38 to $47 — still below the $52 average in neighboring Mahoning County. Low-income residents and seniors will receive a 20% discount through the county’s Homestead program.

The new rates took effect with April bills.