By Mark Hansel
NKyTribune managing editor
David Rager, executive director of Northern Kentucky Sanitation District No. 1 has announced his resignation, effective March 11.
The SD1 staff was notified earlier this week that Rager is leaving the utility on his own terms to pursue another opportunity.
Rager, 60, said he could not yet reveal the new position due to a confidentiality agreement.
“It was not an easy decision to make because I feel like we have made progress and I was happy to be a part of it,” RAger said. “This new position helps me bring balance to life and work.”
Rager assumed the role of executive director in 2012.
Prior to joining SD1, Rager spent 18 years as CEO of the Greater Cincinnati Water Works (GCWW), and also served as Deputy City Manager for the City of Cincinnati, and as Interim City Manager for one year.
Rager took over as head of SD1 at a difficult time for the utility.
The costs associated with a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency consent decree, aging infrastructure in the river cities and demands for increased capacity in growing suburbs, continue to present enormous challenges for SD.
SD1’s rates have increased almost 300 percent since 200.
Rager said that while the consent decree is often seen as the culprit, in reality the problems identified in the agreement would have to be fixed regardless.
“We have to address the challenge of dumping (sewage) into peoples’ back yards and the streets,” Rager said. “It comes down to putting too much stuff into too small a pipe and we have to fix that.”
The utility has an annual budget of $96 million and employs 206 people.
SD1’s sanitary sewer service area covers more than 185 square miles and the storm sewer service area covers more than 215 square miles. It includes more than 30 municipalities and unincorporated portions of Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties.
It serves 103,000 people and has 135 pump stations in the three-county area.
The SD1 Board of Directors next meets on Feb 16 and is expected to focus on the search for a replacement or an interim director at that time.
Mark Hansel can be reached at mark.hansel@nkytrib.com