Bel Air residents petition county over high water and sewer bills; commissioners propose meeting with state and federal delegation

A packet from Bel Air residents, accompanied by an estimated 1,200-signature petition, asked Allegany County Commissioners to convene meetings with the county delegation and federal representatives to examine high water and sewer bills residents say are unaffordable.

County staff said the petitioners want the county to facilitate a conversation among local elected officials, state regulators and the company serving the area. Staff cautioned the county is not directly in charge of the private utility—s rates but said commissioners could work with the state delegation, the U.S. congressional offices copied on the letter and other partners to seek information and potential remedies.

During the discussion commissioners and staff described multiple issues raised by residents and by staff—s preliminary review: the private operator purchases water from Cumberland and applies a county-negotiated markup; staff said the operator then appears to apply an additional markup when billing customers. Commissioners and staff also discussed sewer charges and an example figure for sewer reported in the materials of about $19 per 1,000 (units discussed in the meeting were not always clear). One county official said example household bills in affected neighborhoods could be in the range of $400—400 to $500 a month for combined water and sewer in contrast with many other county customers paying roughly $150—152 a month.

Participants raised water loss and aging infrastructure as possible drivers: meeting participants said water-loss rates above 20% would be concerning, and they reported anecdotal accounts that the private operator—s system could experience water loss significantly above normal benchmarks. The Public Service Commission (PSC) and the state Attorney General—s office were mentioned as potential oversight or investigatory avenues; staff said they could obtain the PSC—s rate determination and documentation for review.

County staff recommended first meeting with the county delegation and the offices copied on the petition (including U.S. Rep. Delaney and Senators Van Hollen and Alsobrooks and the local state senator and delegates) to get the relevant regulatory records and bring funding partners and federal contacts into a follow-up meeting with the community. Commissioners agreed that convening a multi-party meeting after the legislative session would be appropriate and said staff should coordinate dates and gather PSC materials.

Ending: Staff said they would coordinate with the county delegation, obtain the PSC—s determinations and invite federal and state offices and community members to a meeting after session to explore options and information-sharing.