Water And Sewer

As of yesterday morning, the utility that oversees the crumbling water system in Montgomery and Prince George's counties wasn't going to receive a dime in federal stimulus grants because the state had decided the two Washington suburbs were too wealthy. But by the end of the day, state officials promised to reconsider their funding formula after an outpouring of complaints from local officials and members of Maryland's congressional delegation. Under current state plans, the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC)

The battle over sprawl in Anne Arundel County is headed underground.That's where pipes move water and sewage, and where the infrastructure awaits the flushing toilets and running faucets of the developments to be built over the next 20 years."

A proposed townhouse complex for senior citizens in rural West Friendship has ignited a debate over whether Howard County officials can stop the project after it received the blessing of the Board of Appeals last month.Ahmad Bagheri's plan to build 25 units on 13.75 acres in the 11000 block of Frederick Road was approved Jan. 12 by the board, which overruled objections raised by the county Planning Board and the Department of Planning and Zoning.Now, Planning Director Joseph W. Rutter Jr. says he will not approve any building plans for the project unless compelled by the County Council.

Fears of suburban sprawl had Anne Arundel County leaders poised last night for debate over a long-range plan for extending public water and sewer pipes.The detailed proposal had been headed for defeat before the County Council, but heavy lobbying from County Executive Janet S. Owens appeared to give the measure enough support to at least win a temporary reprieve.Several council members said they wanted to postpone last night's scheduled vote in order to give planners time to revise the proposal.

Aiming to protect the lush Green Spring Valley and rural Kingsville areas, Baltimore County planners want to keep development at bay by assuring that those areas remain outside the limits of public water and sewer service.Neither area is in danger of significant development because they are protected by zoning and by county policy that prohibits the extension of water and sewer service to those areas.But planners warn that they lie within the boundaries of a long-established sewer and water service district that is confusing and could foster development.

THE Baltimore County planning commission faces a variant of the chicken-and egg questions: If water and sewer service are extended to rural areas, will dense development unavoidably follow?That philosophical debate is at the heart of a recent squabble over what is known as the Baltimore Metropolitan District.The district was created by the Maryland General Assembly back in 1924.It obligates the city of Baltimore to provide water and sewer service within the prescribed area, which includes most of the lower half of Baltimore County.

Residents of the Freedom area, Carroll's most populous region, might see their water and sewer bills shrink next summer.The county commissioners are expected to order a study next week that would examine the formula used to calculate the rates for public water and sewer service. The formula, which officials call complex, was adopted in 1970."We would like to look at the alternatives," county Comptroller Eugene C. Curfman told the three-member board of commissioners yesterday. "By changing the formula, we may be able to decrease the rates for certain users, particularly the elderly and low-volume users."

Though $80,000 higher than this year, the Union Bridge budget for fiscal 2000 "is still pretty tight" because the town needs to set aside money for sorely needed water and sewer improvements, Mayor Perry Jones Jr. said.Approved at Monday night's Town Council meeting, the operating budget for the town of 1,000 totals $556,688, up from $476,770 this year. The increase is based on higher water and sewer rates, which will go into effect July 1, Jones said. The rates vary according to usage.The property tax rate, 75 cents per $100 of assessed value, will not change.

Right topic, wrong cityAT THE beginning of a much-anticipated presentation of a study of Annapolis' water and sewer rates Monday night, Gaithersburg-based engineering consultant Robert Ambrose said to the city council: "Ladies and gentlemen I'm here to present a study of the city of Baltimore's water and sewer oh, I'm off to a bad start."From the back of the room, Ward 1 Democratic Alderman Louise Hammond interjected: "Oh, that's why the rates were so high."-- Cheryl TanFlattery gets him nowhere " I LIKE your style," said Rodney A. Driver, 47, of the 1600 block of Marley Ave. in Glen Burnie, to Anne Arundel County Circuit Judge Pamela L. North on Tuesday.

In an unexpected move, two Howard County councilmen have filed proposed legislation that would hinder Covenant Baptist Church's plan to build a church, school and senior housing complex on its Centennial Lane property in Ellicott City.The church's plans for housing for the elderly were already in danger because the county Planning Board had recommended against the project. Now, the church's long-planned and previously approved church building and church school are also in jeopardy.Democrat Guy J. Guzzone of southeastern Howard County and Republican Allan H. Kittleman of western Howard filed a bill Friday that would remove the church's land -- about 53 acres -- from access to public water and sewer service.

Baltimore recently had to shut down Lombard Street downtown due to a large diameter water main break snarling traffic throughout the downtown area. East Monument Street was shut down because of a sewer collapse. Perhaps a year or so back, Linwood Avenue in Canton shut down first at Fleet Street and later at Foster Avenue due to water main breaks causing the collapse of the intersections. And these are just the recent problems. The Inner Harbor, our city's lifeline to the tourism industry, brings a much needed stream of economic life to a place where a seemingly endless stream of trash flushed from storm drains floats into the harbor.

As of yesterday morning, the utility that oversees the crumbling water system in Montgomery and Prince George's counties wasn't going to receive a dime in federal stimulus grants because the state had decided the two Washington suburbs were too wealthy. But by the end of the day, state officials promised to reconsider their funding formula after an outpouring of complaints from local officials and members of Maryland's congressional delegation. Under current state plans, the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC)

Howard County announced yesterday that it has received a $35.5 million state grant to help pay for a $100 million county project to upgrade the county's Little Patuxent Water Reclamation Plant in Savage. The goal of the project is to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus runoff into the Patuxent River and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay, officials said. James M. Irvin, the county public works director, said the grant from the state Department of the Environment is double the anticipated amount and will enable the county to free up more local funding for other water and sewer projects.

Housing stirs some ire Regarding "Doughoregan senior housing stirring no ire," (Sept. 28), well it certainly should. Anger should be openly displayed, for this is government corruption in the making. Moreover, those impaled on the horns of a dilemma are not senior citizens, but work force families needing affordable housing. For years affordable housing advocates have sought to get water and sewer extended to western Howard County for housing for working families and to help offset the pressure of putting all affordable housing in Columbia and eastern Howard County.

The chance to live in what was billed as the county's only gated golf course community for seniors drew eager buyers to bucolic Glenwood over the past five years. But a lawsuit filed by the county government claims that the developers and builders of the Villas at Cattail Creek misled homebuyers about many aspects of the project. The suit accuses developers Donald Reuwer Jr. and J. Thomas Scrivener, along with NVR Inc., owner of the builder, Ryan Homes, of deceiving buyers for years. The allegations laid out range from the gate at the entrance, which the county said still doesn't work, to an unbuilt golf course, to a water and sewer system that even the developers acknowledge never functioned properly.

Annapolis city council members are looking to boost fees that the city charges for mooring a boat and a variety of construction-related services, a move that already is drawing some protests from business owners even before the increases have been formally proposed. Proponents of the fee increases contend they are necessary to keep up with costs of municipal services, and they point out some charges have not been changed in two decades. "It's been years since fees were changed, that's why it appears to be so much," said Alderwoman Classie Gillis Hoyle, a Democrat representing Ward 3. Alderman Julie N. Stankivic, a leading proponent of the increases, successfully passed legislation last year that required all department heads to review fees on a yearly basis.

Baltimore approved forgiving nearly a half-million dollars in unpaid water bills for the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore yesterday and gave its management $1 million more to fix aging water and sewer infrastructure. The Board of Estimates unanimously approved the measures. Officials said the zoo had difficulty making its payments from 2002 through 2005 and that the money will help the zoo stay solvent.

Fewer homes would be subject to tax sales under a compromise reached by legislators and property investors, officials said yesterday. Responding to cases in which local governments -- primarily Baltimore -- have foreclosed on homes over small debts, including unpaid water and sewer bills, legislators have coalesced around a bill that would increase the threshold for debts that can trigger a tax sale, cap attorneys fees and provide a safety net for the...

When Mount Airy Town Councilman John Woodhull told his colleagues about the town's little-known, decades-old practice of providing free water to local churches, he expected a couple minutes of discussion, maybe some laughter, and then an end to the custom. Water usage is a big concern in the town, and giving it away, Woodhull said, sends the wrong message. But in January, the council voted to go forward with what appears to be an unusual custom. And last night, after a lengthy debate, the panel unanimously decided to postpone voting on a resolution to spell out the exemptions for churches and other nonprofit organizations so that the town's water and sewer commission can weigh in on the practice.

Howard County expects to save $6.3 million in interest payments during the next dozen years by refinancing $104 million in nine-year-old bonds. The sale Wednesday refinanced $92 million in general county bonds and $12 million in water and sewer bonds, said Sharon Greisz, county finance director. By getting a 3.57 percent interest rate - a full one percentage point lower than the average interest on the old bonds - Greisz said the county would save $520,000 a year in interest, totaling $5.3 million in savings over the life of the general bonds, and $48,000 a year totaling $1 million in savings for the water and sewer bonds.