Worcester County commissioner addresses rising water and sewer bills

WORCESTER COUNTY, Md. — Homeowners and businesses across Worcester County are continuing to see higher water and sewer bills this quarter, with county officials pointing to rising operating costs, new state testing requirements and increased chemical prices as the reason for the hike.

For many residents, the jump has come as an unwelcome surprise. Victor Nappier of Ocean Pines said his latest bill was the highest he’s ever received. “All the time I’ve lived here, I’ve never had a water bill this high,” Nappier said.

He said what used to be around a $300 bill has now climbed to more than $600, and that his neighbors are experiencing similar increases. “Everybody's complaining about the water bill in the whole area here. They charge double, triple and four times more. I've talked to people. It just, it seems like it's out of control,” Nappier said.

According to Worcester County officials, all 11 areas that use the county’s water and sewer system are seeing increases this quarter. The county said the higher rates are necessary to cover increasing maintenance expenses, chemical costs and compliance with new state testing regulations.

“The county’s not pocketing money,” said Worcester County Commissioner Eric Fiori. “These enterprise funds are self-sustaining, which means if they’re going backwards, unfortunately the ratepayers need to pay a little bit more, which we don’t want to see.”

Fiori said residents should expect similar rate adjustments for the upcoming 2026 fiscal year, adding that officials are looking for ways to reduce costs in the long term.

“We absolutely don’t want to raise rates,” Fiori said. “But at this point, for these enterprise funds, unfortunately, we don’t have an option but to raise them. At the same time, we’re looking for more operational efficiencies to try to get these rates back down.”

He also encouraged homeowners and businesses to be mindful of their water use as a way to help manage costs.