Residents of Montgomery and Prince George’s counties could pay roughly $18 more on their quarterly water and sewer bills next year.

Residential water and sewer bills generally rise each year, and the coming increase — which won’t take effect until the start of the new fiscal year, in July — is expected to be smaller than in years past.

For a family of three, quarterly bills increased by an average of $25.60 last fiscal year and by nearly $25.50 the year prior.

On Monday, executives from the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC Water), which oversees water and sewer services for both Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, presented their preliminary budget plans to a Montgomery County Council committee. The meeting kick-started a monthslong process that will eventually determine the exact rate increases that county residents will see on their quarterly utility bills.

Rising costs

WSSC Water executives said several changes have driven the need for rate increases: rising costs for regional sewage disposal, higher wages under a collective bargaining agreement, and more expensive health care benefits, as well as the need for emergency repairs, pipe maintenance and on-call plumber services.

But discussions about increasing water and sewer bills are beginning in the throes of a federal government shutdown, which in Montgomery County alone has left tens of thousands of federal employees and contractors out of work or working without pay.

“This is a very acute issue that we need to be extremely mindful of,” said Montgomery County Council member Evan Glass.

To cushion the blow for federal workers, WSSC Water has temporarily suspended water service turnoffs, waived late fees and extended a debt forgiveness program.

‘A lot can change’

A WSSC Water spokesperson said it’s too early in the budget process to even estimate the increases that ratepayers might see in their water and sewer bills next year.

“A lot can change between these early committee meetings and the final budget vote,” spokesperson Chuck Brown wrote in an email.

But the Montgomery County Council committee on Monday set a preliminary 6% cap on any rate increase.

For a family of three using 145 gallons of water per day, that would add $17.70 to their quarterly water bill, senior legislative analyst Keith Levchenko wrote in an email.

WSSC Water executives on Monday also made the case for a 7% increase, which would have increased quarterly bills for a family of three by nearly $20.70. But council members went with the lower 6% option, potentially saving a family of three $12 over a year.

The commission will use the agreed-upon 6% limit to develop its budget.

Because WSSC Water provides water and sewer services in both Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, its budget requires approval from the county council in each jurisdiction.

The two councils aren’t bound by the preliminary spending cap, and they can jointly agree to approve a budget with a higher rate increase or a lower one.

Final votes from the two counties are expected in May 2026.