Harford County Proposes 5-Year Water And Sewer Rate Increase
Harford County is considering a proposed five-year rate increase for its water and sewer customers. The legislation, introduced last week, suggests a 4.2% annual rate hike over the next five years. This comes after a 4.5% increase in rates for most residents over the past five years.
The proposed rate adjustments are based on a cost-of-service analysis conducted by Arcadis, a global consulting firm specializing in water and sewer rate assessments.
Harford County’s water and sewer system functions as a “non-profit enterprise fund,” meaning it is funded entirely by users rather than taxpayers. As a result, the rates must cover all associated system costs.
Currently, water rates in Harford County are the third lowest among 12 neighboring water systems.
Under the new rate structure, the cost of delivering water to customers would be less than one cent per gallon, while the total cost for delivering and treating wastewater would be about two cents per gallon, according to county officials.
Key expenses driving the proposed increase include energy, chemicals, regulatory requirements, and worker costs—factors that have been rising faster than inflation. The need to maintain aging infrastructure also contributes to the rising costs.
Officials credit the efficiency of the system and prudent fiscal management for the relatively modest rate increase.
The county council will hold hearings on the proposal before voting to finalize the new rate schedule, which, if approved, would take effect on July 1, 2025.
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