A record $68.5 million in sewer infrastructure projects are now in the Hamilton County Water & Wastewater Treatment Authority's pipeline and consumers are likely to pay higher fees for the work.

"We anticipate significant rate increases to cover the cost of the projects along with the cost of the loans to complete the work," said WWTA Chairman Dick Gee on Wednesday.

The WWTA is negotiating the terms of the consent decree with EPA after years of Clean Water Act violations and millions of gallons of sewage spilled into local creeks and streams.

"The main goal of these projects is to eliminate sanitary sewer overflows by increasing the capacity and reliability of the sewer system," Patrick said, adding that future growth in the county is a secondary benefit of the work.

He said there will be annual rate increases moving forward at a level to be determined each year depending on the proposed project schedules.