Maryland county reopens sewer capacity for development projects
(UI) — Anne Arundel County has lifted its sewer capacity moratorium for the Baltimore City Sewer Service Area, allowing development projects awaiting wastewater allocations to move forward.
County officials said the decision follows a series of measures that increased available wastewater capacity, including an agreement to temporarily use unused treatment capacity from Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport and updated peak-flow calculations based on actual system data.
The county and the Maryland Aviation Administration signed a letter of intent that allows Anne Arundel to borrow excess wastewater capacity from BWI Airport while longer-term infrastructure improvements are completed. Officials said airport capacity projections indicate sufficient unused treatment capacity is available during the next several years.
County Executive Steuart Pittman said regional coordination among local and state agencies helped create a solution that supports development while protecting water quality in the Patapsco River watershed.
“Fully lifting this moratorium was the result of regional and intergovernmental cooperation,” Pittman said, citing capacity-sharing agreements, updated flow measurements and investments in wastewater infrastructure.
The county is also pursuing long-term projects to expand system capacity. Pittman’s proposed fiscal 2027 budget includes nearly $60 million from the Department of Public Works utility fund to divert wastewater flows away from Baltimore City's Patapsco Wastewater Treatment Plant and into county-operated facilities. Planning work is expected to be completed later this year, with construction anticipated within four to five years.
Additional efforts include upgrades to the Linthicum/Shipley Pumping Station, operational improvements to optimize wastewater flows and projects aimed at reducing infiltration and inflow into the sewer system.
County officials said three development projects are immediately eligible to receive wastewater allocations following the lifting of the moratorium.
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