Calvert Might Change Water and Sewer Fees

Plan Would Increase Connection Costs

Calvert County is moving ahead with a proposal to increase water and sewer connection fees for new residential and commercial developments by up to several thousand dollars.

The proposed water connection fee would be a flat $3,000 for a single-family residence, an increase, depending on location, of $1,000 to $2,000. The proposed sewer tap fee would be $5,400 per single-family residence, an increase of $400 to $3,800, depending on location.

The commercial fees would be based on multiples of the average residential rate.

"When you figure out how much a septic system is and how much [it costs] to put it in the ground, this is still a deal," said county Commissioner Gerald W. Clark (R-Lusby).

The proposed rates will be discussed in two public hearings in the spring.

The rates would affect only customers joining the system, said Edward J. Donahue III, a consultant for Municipal and Financial Services Group, which was hired by the county to calculate the new fees.

The fees would cover the cost of adding capacity to the systems, he said. Donahue recommended to the Board of County Commissioners that the fees be reviewed yearly to keep them at a market rate.

If the county sets the new fees too low, the board was told, existing customers would face increases to their regular bills.

Calvert has been working to replace the county's water and sewer rates with flat rates, although bills would vary depending on usage. The county has 19 different fees for water connection and seven for sewer connection.

The county has been adding water meters for all customers in the county. Nearly 90 percent of customers are now connected to meters, officials said.