When MSD assumed the responsibility for our community's public stormwater and flood protection drainage system in 1987, it inherited a large backlog of problems that have been accumulating for more than 200 years, and have been accelerating rapidly since World War II.  Some problems are a natural part of Jefferson County's geography.  Numerous areas were previously swamplands and many of the hilly areas dump torrents of water into our streams during heavy rains.  In fact, many of the county's areas should never have been developed for homes and businesses.

MSD has studied these problems in depth.  Unfortunately, our community still has homes that are flooded during heavy rains and entire neighborhoods that do not have any effective drainage systems.  MSD is focusing its limited resources on resolving the most serious and widespread problems first, based on engineering studies, community priorities and available funds.  MSD has undertaken extensive drainage improvement projects to deal with the worst of these problems.

MSD's drainage utility consolidates programs that were formerly handled by more than 100 local government agencies.  It brings a formal drainage program to some areas that have never had one before.

The stormwater drainage area includes most of the county's unincorporated areas, along with all the suburban cities, except Anchorage, Jeffersontown, St. Matthews and Shively. The service territory has a population of approximately 638,900 — about 91 percent of the County's total population. Most of this area's stormwater eventually flows into Jefferson County streams; all of it ultimately flows into the Ohio River.

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For more information, please contact:  David Johnson