Hagerstown residents could be staring down noticeably higher water and sewer bills as city leaders look for a way to keep aging pipes, pumps, and treatment plants from falling behind. The mayor and city council have scheduled a work session to pore over revised billing models that staff say are needed to fund pumping-station repairs, treatment-plant work, and other big-ticket projects.
On top of that, officials are warning that the smaller, automatic increases already baked into the current plan might not be going away anytime soon, as the city tries to juggle growth with infrastructure that is hardly brand-new.
What staff recommended
According to City of Hagerstown records, utility staff and consultants laid out a three-year rate plan that would raise water charges by 14% and wastewater rates by 13% in each of fiscal years 2025 through 2027.
The presentation includes sample quarterly bills to show how a typical homeowner’s charges would climb under that model. Staff also recommend building up repair and renewal reserves so there is money set aside to tackle aging infrastructure before it turns into an emergency.
Why the hikes are on the table
As reported by DC News Now, council members are revisiting the billing structure specifically to help finance work on pumping stations and treatment plants.
The outlet also reported that the Maryland Department of the Environment told it the Edgewood Reservoir alone needs about $200 million in upgrades. Councilmember Kristin Aleshire has pushed for the city to tap that reservoir to add roughly 100 million gallons of additional supply, arguing that future growth depends on having more water in the bank.
Growth and meter upgrades
Local coverage notes that a surge of warehouses and new housing has put extra demand on the system, which stresses both capacity and revenues. According to LocalNews1, the city recently signed off on a transceiver trade-in program and is planning mass meter exchanges to modernize how usage is read and billed.
City of Hagerstown budget documents show that inside-city water and sewer bills remain relatively low when stacked up against neighboring systems, even as staff outlines significant capital needs ahead. Radio Free Hub City has reported that those needs total roughly $200 million in upgrades.
What happens next
The Mayor and City Council are slated to walk through the menu of rate options at the upcoming work session, where they can tweak or pare back any proposal before a formal ordinance is drafted.
According to the City of Hagerstown meeting calendar, public sessions take place in Council Chambers at One East Franklin Street, and residents can submit comments ahead of regular meetings.
For now, the council is caught between keeping monthly bills affordable and funding maintenance that utility staff says cannot be safely postponed. Members have said they plan to hear out businesses and residents, then decide whether to lock in a multi-year rate plan or dial back the hikes in the name of short-term relief.
