Anne Arundel County Department of Public Works (DPW) announced a sewer capacity moratorium, effective March 2, 2026. The moratorium was into place to protect existing wastewater infrastructure and public health. according to DPW.
The moratorium was implemented as Anne Arundel County has recently reached peak flow capacity limitations within the Baltimore City Sewer Service Area (SSA).
The new limitations affect areas that connect to the Baltimore County Patapsco Interceptor and Sewage Pumping Station (SPS).
While the County remains within its Average Daily Flow (ADF) limits, the shared systems’ aging infrastructure and increased Inflow & Infiltration (I&I) during wet weather have caused peak volumes to exceed current multijurisdictional agreements.
Due to ongoing consent decrees, Baltimore City and Baltimore County are currently unable to allocate additional capacity to Anne Arundel County, creating an immediate bottleneck for new development.
Sewer Capacity Moratorium – Baltimore City Sewer Service Area Highlights
To address this emergency, DPW declared a moratorium on capacity allocation approvals for any new development in the SSA.
Additionally, the County will immediately suspend the approval of any new allocations for building/tenant fit-out permits for projects flowing into the affected infrastructure.
All currently allocated Equivalent Dwelling Units (EDUs) will be honored; however, no additional allocations will be granted at this time.
Exceptions will be made for infill lots with failing septic systems, which the County will prioritize. Tenant fit-out permits requiring one or more EDUs will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Any development projects or permits that did not receive a formal allocation prior to the date of the notice are now on hold.
Pending projects cannot receive allocation or final approval until additional capacity is secured or the moratorium is modified or lifted.
source: Anne Arundel County Department of Public Works
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.