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A family of four using an average 22,500 gallons of water over a three-month period in College Corner will pay roughly $196.58, compared to $46.77 for the same amount of water used in Fairfield.

Fairfield Mayor Ron D'Epifanio is happy. The cost, he says, "has helped us keep a tremendous quality of life at a very reasonable rate."

College Corner Village Councilman Bennie Banks is not happy. "The seniors are on fixed income. It's rough on them to come up with it."

A Hamilton family using the same amount of water pays $62.40 over that three-month period, compared to $125.94 paid by many families in Liberty, West Chester and Fairfield townships..

Butler County officials say many ratepayers are drowning in unfairly high utility costs, and they blame Hamilton, which provides much of the county's water under a contract that expires in 2021. But the county gets its water from a number of sources.

Looking for a way to lower rates, county officials have courted Greater Cincinnati Water Works, among others. They also have considered laying off 22.5 workers at Butler County Environmental Services, which also supplies water, and paying down debt.

Water systems are expensive to operate and don't make money for their respective municipalities. With no profit margin and growing costs of aging systems, say utility managers, it's difficult — but not impossible — to make it cheaper to turn on the tap.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2175 jsweigart@coxohio.com.