The plan has been in the works for years with federal lawyers and the EPA.
NEORSD's been in longtime violation of the Clean Water Act, pumping billions of gallons of sewage into Lake Erie.
Now the deal's near completion. It was on the NEORSD board's Nov. 18 agenda for discussion.
Details are still not public. The agreement would also have to be approved by a federal judge.
Starr claims that's way too fast for an agreement that will dramatically impact the bills of families, businesses and governments.
He is trying to rally other mayors and officials behind him.
Starr says last week's election results show citizens want less government, lower taxes and more transparency. He claims the way the deal is being handled goes against all three goals.
"Is the price too high for a region reeling from poverty, unemployment, foreclosures and an exodus of residents and businesses?" he said.
The district has four more public hearings to explain why bills could go up an average of 18 percent a year over 20 years.
Starr wants to consider asking the federal government to pay a bigger share of water clean-up costs.
Akron and other cities are fighting the government's requirements in court. Starr wants that option considered too.
NEORSD Executive Director Julius Ciaccia says Starr has been on the board and been aware of the issue and potential settlement for years.
Ciaccia says fighting the settlement is "an exercise in futility....The time has come to deal with this, one way or another. Every year you delay is $100 million in escalated costs, not to mention the added pollution still going into the water."
Starr and Ciaccia will discuss the looming rate hikes with Senior Political Correspondent Tom Beres Sunday morning on Between the Lines.
WKYC-TV