Potomac Plant Outage Drives Proposed 7% Water Bill Increase
Montgomery County residential water bills could rise by up to 7% next fiscal year under a spending control framework unanimously approved by the County Council on Tuesday. The proposed rate hike, aimed in part at funding aging infrastructure upgrades, would add an estimated $7.23 to the average monthly bill for residential customers.
The unanimous vote during the council’s weekly meeting in Rockville establishes spending control limits that guide the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission as it drafts its upcoming annual budget. That rate cap, however, remains subject to final council approval in May.
Vulnerabilities Exposed by September Electrical Malfunction
The push for increased revenue follows a September power failure at the utility’s filtration plant in Potomac. That electrical malfunction forced WSSC to issue an essential water use only advisory that stayed in place for nearly two days, exposing vulnerabilities in the utility’s capital assets.
Councilmember Evan Glass, who chairs the council’s Transportation and Environment Committee, pointed out during Tuesday’s meeting that the incident highlighted critical gaps in non-pipe infrastructure. The proposed rate hike would help finance $11.8 million in electrical upgrades stemming from the Potomac plant outage.
“We tend to think about sewers and pipes, but here we were dealing with an electrical malfunction that is part of their capital budget and almost caused real concern throughout Montgomery County,” Glass said.
Millions Needed for Rapid Capital Improvements
WSSC General Manager and CEO Kishia Powell addressed the Transportation and Environment Committee on Oct. 12, noting that the Potomac plant’s power system relies on original equipment that manufacturers no longer support. Beyond the immediate $11.8 million electrical overhaul, the utility has mapped out three separate projects totaling $133 million to address broader facility vulnerabilities.
Powell acknowledged the funding challenge during committee discussions. “We’ve got to identify the funds,” Powell said. “Those are not cast in the [capital improvements program], but we still have to find a way to accelerate that work.”
Diverging Caps Across County Lines
WSSC provides drinking water to 1.9 million residents across both Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. The two jurisdictions have occasionally diverged on utility spending caps in the past.
The Prince George’s County Council approved a lower maximum rate increase of 5% for fiscal 2028 on Oct. 20. According to Montgomery County Council staff estimates, a 5% rate hike would translate to a monthly increase of $6.19 for the average residential customer, compared to the $7.23 increase attached to a 7% ceiling.
WSSC Water Faces Approaching Budget Deadlines
Senior Legislative Analyst Keith Levchenko told the Montgomery County Council on Tuesday that differing maximum rates from the two counties do not disrupt the overall budget process. WSSC Water will work within the two, most likely, and the discrepancy does not prevent the councils from reaching a final agreement.
The utility’s budget for fiscal 2027 incorporated a 5% rate increase. Under the current schedule, WSSC must present its draft fiscal 2028 budget to the public by Jan. 15 and formally submit its budget request to both Montgomery and Prince George’s counties by March 1, ahead of the fiscal year start on July 1.
