Washington County commissioners approve proposed water and sewer rate adjustment after public hearing

Washington County commissioners approved an adjustment to the county's water and sewer service rates following a public hearing in which residents raised affordability concerns.

Mark Bradshaw, director of environmental management, told the board the water and sewer program is operated as an enterprise fund and that the proposed adjustment is part of a multi-year schedule previously approved by the commission. Bradshaw said inflationary pressures on chemicals and replacement equipment, as well as operating costs, have driven the need for higher fees. Jesse Mace, the county's chief financial officer, and Bradshaw explained the fund must remain balanced and maintain policy reserves set aside for future capital needs.

The public comment period included several residents who said the increases would strain people on fixed incomes. A Williamsport resident (identified in the record only as "K.") said she could not afford further increases in her sewage bill, describing the proposed future increases as "over the top." Curtis Ray of Hagerstown criticized the county's overall fiscal messaging and warned rate increases would further burden struggling households.

Commissioners responded by explaining the enterprise fund model: rate increases are intended to cover the direct cost of providing water and wastewater service rather than shifting those costs to taxpayers who do not use the service. Bradshaw and other staff noted that chemical costs on recent bids rose between roughly 20% and 50% for various treatment chemicals, and that replacement heavy equipment has increased by about 20%–25% in recent years. They also explained that the county uses reserve policies (a target 25% of operating expenses) to fund future capital needs such as landfill or treatment-plant equipment and cell construction.

After discussion, a commissioner moved to approve the proposed rate adjustment; the board approved the motion by voice vote.

The hearing record showed no legislative change to the previously adopted multi-year schedule for water and sewer rates other than the administrative clarifications staff noted (for example, plan-review fees are charged per sheet containing water/sewer information). The board did not adopt separate hardship relief in the motion; commissioners said the county will continue to consider fixed-income impacts and the structure of base vs. usage charges when setting later budget details.