Contents of the 2022 – 2031 Comprehensive Water and Sewer Plan

DEP will add dates to the following schedule for consideration of the comprehensive update of the Plan as they become available:

• Executive Draft Transmittal to the County Council: June 2, 2022
• County Council Public Hearing Notice: June 7, 2022
• Introduction by the Council: June 14, 2022
• Planning Board Meeting: July 7, 2022
• Council Public Hearing: July 12, 2022, at 1:30 p.m.
• Transportation & Environment Committee Work Session(s): Sept. 12, and October 3, 2022
• Full Council Work Session(s): October 18, 2022
• Council’s Resolution Action: October 25, 2022
• Council’s Resolution Transmittal to Maryland Dept. of the Environment (MDE): November 22, 2022
• Maryland Dept. of the Environment Action: March 16, 2023

In March 2023, following a 45-day extension of its standard 60-day review period the Plan’s comprehensive update,  the State acted to approve Council-approved Plan in part and deny it in part (PDF, 3.12MB).

MDE denied two new policies in the Plan:

• The transfer of a connection right element of the abutting mains policy (Chapter 1, Section II.G.3.c., page 1-40).
• The community service for commercial uses policy (Chapter 1, Section II.G.5., page1-45)

MDE also denied in part and revised:

• The new main extension element of the abutting mains policy (Chapter 1, Section II.G.3.a, page 1-37), placing additional limitations on its application.

The County Council has six months from the date of MDE’s March 2023 letter to request reconsideration of the State’s action concerning the preceding denials. DEP and Council staff have conferred with MDE and with Maryland Department of Planning (MDP) staff concerning the State’s actions and will discuss next steps with the Council.

The following links open PDFs of the individual parts (Chapters, Appendices, etc.) of the County Council's approved 2022-2031 Water and Sewer Plan. The following elements of the approved Plan text include revisions required by the Maryland Department of the Environment. (See the preceding “State Action” tab.)

Introduction

• Cover and Summary Table of Contents (PDF)
• Executive Summary (PDF)
• County Council Resolution No. 19-1423 (PDF)

Chapters

• Chapter 1 Objectives and Policies (PDF): Provides the legal requirements for the plan; the County's overall objectives for water and sewer service; the policies addressing the provision of water and sewer service by both public systems and private onsite systems; public and private systems financing, and the procedures and organizational roles through which the County and state adopt, amend, and administer the plan.
• Chapter 2 General Background (PDF): Provides background information on Montgomery County's natural and man-made environment relevant to the provision of water and sewer service by both public and individual systems.
• Chapter 3 Water Supply Systems (PDF): Provides information on the County's existing water supply systems and on planning efforts to ensure that the County's mid- and long-term water supply needs will be satisfied in a manner consistent with public policy and the plan's objectives. Regional planning issues, as they relate to the County, are also addressed.
• Chapter 4 Sewerage Systems (PDF): Provides information on the County's existing sewerage systems and on planning efforts to ensure that the County's mid- and long-term sewerage needs are and will be satisfied in a manner consistent with public policy and the plan's objectives. Regional planning issues, as they relate to the County, are also addressed. 

Appendices

• Appendix A Glossary (PDF)
• Appendix B Multiuse Water and Sewerage Systems (PDF): Large-capacity individual onsite systems
• Appendix C Exceptional Service Areas (PDF): Exceptional service policies and recommendations
• Appendix D Agencies (PDF): Local, municipal, state, and regional agencies related to the County’s water and Sewer Service
• Appendix E Major Facilities and Institutions (PDF): County’s major public Facilities and institutions
• Appendix F Summary of Updates (PDF): Significant changes from the approved 2018 Plan

Maps

• Water Categories Map 11”x17” (PDF)
• Sewer Categories Map 11”x17” (PDF)

2022-2031 Plan Update

• 2022-2031 Comprehensive Water and Sewer Plan (PDF)