Water, Waste-Water FAQ's

No. These areas must remain clear, so WWW personnel can access this equipment. All plantings blocking these structures are subject to removal and will not be replaced if WWW crews damage or remove them to repair or replace equipment.

No. These are sewer holding tanks for the vacuum sewer system. Each holding tank serves 1 to 4 homes and cannot be moved without disrupting service to you and your neighbors.

Homeowners are responsible for the pipes from the water meter and sewer cleanout into the house. WWW is responsible for the pipes in the street and those leading up to your water meter and sewer clean out.

Call the WWW Division, so that a crew can determine the cause. If the leak/blockage is on the County side, WWW crews will repair the problem. If the leak/blockage is on the homeowners side then WWW will let you know that you need a plumber.

Newer homes are typically equipped with a shut off valve that residents can access on their own or they can call the WWW. Do not turn off water to the County meter. Instead, contact the WWW division. There is a $25 fee for these services.

You or your sale closing representative should request a final meter reading and address change with the Treasurer's office at settlement.

Yes. While WWW personnel strive to mitigate odors, it will still smell at times.

Please call 410-641-5251 to report it. Include the nearest street address and a description of the problem, and WWW crews will repair it.

You can request a leak adjustment when you receive your water bill. WWW requires proof of repair, to include the plumbing bill, with your address and the repairs that were made. The sewer portion of your bill can be adjusted to your normal usage, pending a review by County personnel.

Yes. If the meter is within AWWA (American Water Works Association) standards, you will be charged $67.50 for the testing. If the meter is found to be defective, WWW personnel will replace it at no charge to the homeowner.

This is a fund instituted by the General Assembly in 2004 to upgrade Maryland's wastewater treatment plants, septic tanks in critical areas, and establish cover crops to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus from entering the bay. To support this fund, residential water/sewer customers are charged $15 quarterly. Commercial customers are charged based on the average daily sewage flow. Those on well and septic are charged $60 per year on their property tax bills.

a. Bills are paid through the Treasurer’s Office, which is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

b. Utility concerns are handled by the WWW Division, which is open Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

c. Both offices are closed for holidays.

There have been increases in many operational costs. Chemicals have been steadily increasing, additional regulatory standards (i.e. PFAS which are per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) require mandated testing not previously needed, and maintenance is needed for the aging facility. There are capital items in this year’s budget, outside of any unexpected maintenance that might be needed. If the rates were not increased from the FY25 budget, there would have been a shortfall in all of the service areas with the expenses that were approved in the FY26 budget.

Keep in mind that bills are usually higher this quarter every year because homeowners are typically irrigating at this time. Remember, this billing period is for the summer months. This results in a higher usage fee because of the additional water being used.

The usage tiers changed from the previous year’s tiers. Before, there were five tiers starting at $1.60 and ending at $15 per 1,000 gallons used. Now it is $5 per 1,000 gallons used up to 22,500 gallons; and then $15 per 1,000 gallons used over 22,500 gallons. 22,500 gallons is what a 250 gallon per day (gpd) single-family home would produce in a quarter - 250 gpd x 90 days = 22,500 gallons.

On paper, this is what a single-family home is rated to use and what the system expects to treat.

An example of the FY25 rates vs. FY26 rates and 10,000 gallons used:

$207 base fee + ($1.60 / 1,000 x 10,000) = $223

$209 base fee + ($5.00 / 1,000 x 10,000) = $259

The new accessibility fees implemented in fiscal year 2026 are assessed to undeveloped properties with one or more EDUs (Note: some areas were already being charged accessibility fees). Undeveloped properties that hold EDUs are guaranteed future access to public water and/or sewer, and play a key role in supporting the operation and maintenance needs of the Sanitary Service Areas (SSAs) where they are located.

Accessibility fees ensure that all properties that benefit from access to a public water and/or wastewater system contribute proportionally to the costs to build and maintain that infrastructure (e.g., treatment plants, pump stations, mains). Without these fees, existing, connected users would be required to shoulder all these costs. Accessibility fees spread funding for existing and future capital costs across all properties that are connected or can connect and reduces costs for all users.

In summary, accessibility fees play a key role in the county’s efforts to establish uniform, transparent rates across the SSAs, so that adequate funding is available to 1) cover current operation and maintenance costs and 2) establish reserve funding to pay for future infrastructure improvements.

The owner of an undeveloped property that has been allotted an equivalent dwelling unit (EDU) may be able to return the EDU on that property. However, due to capacity limitations and development demands, EDUs may not be available if a property owner decides at some point in the future to develop the land. Furthermore, the property owner would be required to buy the EDU back at the cost assessed at the time of purchase.

An account that is serviced by a well is charged only for sewer service. That amount is 75% of the rate of that service area plus a set usage fee since the usage cannot be determined.

In an effort to be more consistent across service areas that are serviced by the County, fixtures are no longer being utilized in West Ocean City. Instead, they are charged on a per EDU basis. The majority of West Ocean City is on private well water, so there is a set usage fee included in the rate since usage cannot be determined.