Utility Rates

Resolution 19-10 Concerning Water and Sewer Charges

Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Water & Sewer Rate Comparison

Quarterly Water Rates

Water Consumption:

Water Base Charge

Quarterly Sewer Rates

Sewer Consumption (based on water consumption):

Sewer Base Charge

FY 2023 Stormwater Management Fee

Annual Rate to be billed quarterly.

Storm Water Management Fee

Storm water is created when water, mostly rain, cannot be absorbed into the ground. Most residential properties have about 30% impervious surface, multi-residential and commercial properties have about 70% impervious surface, and agricultural or country clubs have about 5% impervious surface. Impervious means the ground is covered and water cannot be absorbed, i.e. house, driveway, parking lot, etc. The City is processing that runoff in its sewer systems.

The Bay Restoration Fund Fee (Flush Tax)

All wastewater treatment plant owners have been mandated by the State of Maryland (Senate Bill 320, May 26, 2004) to collect Bay Restoration Fund Fees (BRF) from their users and forward the funds collected to the State of Maryland. The BRF is a dedicated fund that will be used to upgrade sewer plants, and pay for farmland crop cover to reduce nitrogen flows into Maryland waters. Customers will see this BRF fee on Utility bills effective January 1, 2005.

New rates were established during the 2012 Maryland State legislative session, House Bill 446. The new rates will be utilized effective July 1, 2012. For additional information, call the Maryland Department of Environment at 410-537-3567 or visit their website.

Calculation of Water & Sewer Bill

Base Charge WATER and SEWER: For a .75 inch meter is $39.65/91.25 days equals $0.4345 per day for water and $40.12/91.25 day equals $0.4397 per day for sewer (see Rate Schedule for other meter sizes). Multiply the daily rate times the number of days on your bill for both Water and Sewer.

Consumption Charges (Tier Rate per thousand)

Water

Sewer

Calculation Example

Consumption volume per tier fluctuates based on the actual number of days in your billing cycle. For example:

A bill with actual number of days equals 95 days and consumption of 20,000 gallons:

• Step 1:
  • 6,000 divided by 91.25 days equals 65.7534 per day
  • 65.7534 times 95 days equals 6,247 gallons which gets rounded to the nearest hundredth (6,200) charged using the 1st tier rate
  • 6,200 divided by 1,000 times $4.12 equals $25.54
• Step 2:
  • 15,000 minus 6,000 equals 9,000 gallons in 2nd tier for a typical 91.25 day billing.
  • 9,000/91.25 days equals 98.6301 per day
  • 98.6301 times 95 days equals 9,370 which gets rounded to the nearest hundredth (9,400) gallons allowed to be charged using 2nd tier rate
  • Original consumption equals 20,000 minus 6,200 (1st Tier) equals 13,800 remaining
  • 9,400 divided by 1,000 times $5.15 equals $48.41
• Step 3:
  • 120,000 minus 15,000 equals 105,000 gallons in 3rd tier for a typical 91.25 day billing.
  • 105,000 divided by 91.25 days equals 1,150.6849 per day
  • 1,150.6849 times 95 days equals 109,315 which gets rounded to the nearest hundredth (109,300) gallons allowed to be charged using 3rd tier rate
  • Original consumption 20,000 minus 6,200 (1st tier) minus 9,400 (2nd tier) equals 4,400 consumption remaining.
  • 4,400 divided by 1,000 times $6.18 equals $27.19

Total Water consumption cost equals $25.54 + 48.41 + 27.19 equals $101.14.

Sewer consumption is calculated taking the total water consumption divided by 1,000 multiplied by $5.88.  For this example:  20,000 divided by 1,000 times $5.88 equals $117.60.

Total Bill =