​Water and Sewerage Facilities Planning

​Guided by Maryland State Law and COMAR, each county and Baltimore City is required to prepare, adopt, and annually maintain, a 10-year forecasted Water and Sewerage Plan to demonstrate how safe and adequate water and sewerage facilities will be provided to support planned redevelopment and new growth, outlined in their adopted Comprehensive Land Use Plan. Because of the important role that water and sewerage facilities share with Comprehensive Plans and developmental annexations, MDP focuses on enhancing the relationships between development and water and sewerage facilities, by strengthening its relationship with MDE. MDP also supports each county in the care and maintenance of its Water and Sewerage Plan and its coordination with the local comprehensive plan land use goals and recommendations. Each year, the Department reviews and comments on approximately 75 Water and Sewerage Plan revisions, updates, and amendments. 

The wate​r and sewerage plan must be approved by the Maryland Department of the Environment. MDP is mandated to advise MDE concerning the consistency of these water and sewerage plans and plan amendments with the local comprehensive plans and other development related policies and programs. In 2006, HB 1141 magnified the importance of water resource management and growth related impacts for preserving our waterways and the Chesapeake Bay through the requirement of new Comprehensive Plan elements. As part of this process, the Department provides technical assistance and planning guidance to local governments, where requested, to help in the preparation of these plans. The county webpages that host the Water and Sewerage Plan and/or county departments which oversee it, are linked below. For those counties without linked webpages, please contact them directly for a copy of their Water and Sewerage Plan.​