WSSC Water, based in Maryland next to Washington D.C., recently unanimously approved more than $400 million in contracts to upgrade and improve its aging drnking water and sewer infrastructure.
The approval includes two $200 million contracts to rehabilitate sewer pipes across Montgomery and Prince George’s counties and two contracts totaling nearly $60 million to replace water mains along Allentown Road and Old Branch Avenue in Prince George’s County.
“With approximately 45 percent of our 11,000 miles of water and sewer mains over 50 years old, replacing our aging buried assets remains a top priority for us,” said WSSC Water General Manager and CEO Carla A. Reid. “Investing in water and sewer infrastructure protects public health and safety, creates jobs and drives economic development.”
WSSC Water’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Preliminary Proposed Budget was also unanimously approved by Commissioners on the same day, which will be submitted to county governments for public hearing and approval.
The 2023 budget includes significant cuts amid COVID-19’s financial impact. WSSC Water had lost approximately $130 million in revenue during the past two fiscal years, which required budget cuts of roughly $150 million in FYs 2020 through 2022. Today, one in five WSSC customers is past due on their bills – equating to more than 90,000 delinquent accounts totaling more than $70 million in arrears.
The $1.59 billion FY 2023 Preliminary Proposed Budget is based on a seven percent average rate increase – requiring $23.1 million in cuts. With the proposed rate increase, a typical customer with a family of three, using 55 gallons of water per person per day, would see a quarterly increase of $16.99 in their bill.
“The cuts to this budget are deep and will be felt by our customers,” added Reid. “But let me stress that we will continue our 103-year track record of protecting public health and safety by providing safe, clean and reliable water.”
WSSC Water will hold two public hearings on the FY 2023 Preliminary Proposed Budget later this month.
