Prince George’s and Montgomery County Councils Unanimously Approve WSSC Water’s FY 2027 Budget

Laurel, Md. – May 14, 2026 –Prince George’s and Montgomery County Councils today unanimously approved WSSC Water’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 $1.9 billion operating and capital budget at their annual bi‑county meeting. The budget includes $10.6 million in financial assistance to help income-constrained customers – a 20 percent increase over the FY 2026 budget. Supporting the budget is a 5 percent average revenue enhancement, which includes volumetric and fixed fees, and delivers on targeted priorities: 

• Protecting public health and ensuring safe, clean drinking water 
• Operating and maintaining $9 billion in critical infrastructure assets 
• Complying with stricter federal and state water quality regulations 
• Maintaining WSSC Water’s AAA bond rating 
• Using strategic efficiencies and non‑rate revenues to manage costs and lessen customer impacts 

“Today’s approval of WSSC Water’s $1.9 billion operating and capital budget reflects a shared commitment to protecting public health, strengthening our infrastructure and keeping water and sewer services affordable for the families and businesses we serve,” said WSSC Water Commission Chair Mark J. Smith. “On behalf of the Commission, I want to thank the members of the Prince George’s and Montgomery County Councils for their continued partnership, leadership and support as we invest in the critical projects and services that deliver safe, clean, reliable water every day to our 1.9 million customers.” 

Operating Budget Highlights 

The FY 2027 budget includes $1.2 billion in operating funds to maintain an extensive water and wastewater system: 

• 160+ million gallons of clean drinking water produced daily at two filtration plants 
• 65+ million gallons of wastewater expertly treated at six water resource recovery facilities 
• 60+ water storage tanks strategically positioned across a 1,000-square-mile service area 
• 11,000+ miles of water/sewer pipe 
• 47,000+ fire hydrants to protect public safety 
• 500,000+ laboratory tests performed every year 

Capital Budget Highlights 

The FY 2027 budget includes $770.3 million in capital projects: 

• $320.4 million to upgrade aging water and sewer pipes, pumps and plants
• $34 million to replace customer-owned lead water service lines, helping homeowners go lead-free 
• $16.3 million to invest in clean energy projects – strengthening operational resilience and accelerating climate goals 
• $12.8 million for Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) Smart Meter program 

“This budget not only protects public health and safeguards the environment – it creates and sustains jobs, supports economic development and opens the doors of opportunity for small, local and underrepresented businesses,” said WSSC Water General Manager and CEO Kishia L. Powell. “Working together with our county partners, we are advancing a budget that prioritizes affordability with essential investments required to maintain safety, resilience and reliability of our water and wastewater systems. I want to thank the members of both county councils for today’s vote and continued collaboration throughout the budget process.” 

Before proposing this budget, WSSC Water made tough choices, cutting $27 million across the organization. To limit the impact on customers, WSSC Water identified non-rate revenue to offset a portion of the enhancement request – totaling 1 percent in one-time revenue from interest income and a transfer from a temporary rate stabilization fund. A typical customer with a family of three using 48 gallons of water per person daily would see a quarterly increase of $14.75 in their bill or $4.92 per month. 

The two county councils held their annual bi-county meeting to approve WSSC Water’s budget and the budgets for the bi-county portion of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission’s Central Administrative Services and the Washington Suburban Transit Commission. The budget conforms with limits both Montgomery and Prince George’s County Councils set when they approved WSSC Water’s Spending Affordability Guidelines. The FY 2027 budget and new rates begin on July 1, 2026. Review the budget document on our Financial Information page. 

WSSC Water is a not-for-profit public utility focused on serving our 1.9 million customers, not shareholders. Every dollar collected is reinvested directly into infrastructure, technology and workforce to strengthen reliability, improve service and protect public health for generations to come.