Annapolis, MD (March 6, 2026) – County Executive Steuart Pittman issued the following statement on the Orange Notice issued by the Anne Arundel County Department of Public Works regarding a sewer capacity moratorium for the Baltimore City Sewer Service Area. A one-pager summary about the moratorium, how it happened, and what it impacts is available here.
“On Monday, the Anne Arundel County Department of Public Works declared a moratorium on new sewer allocations within the Baltimore City Sewer Service Area. County staff exhausted every available option to avoid a moratorium. The moratorium was the only solution available that addressed the urgent need to prevent infrastructure failures, protect public health and our natural environment, and provide transparency to the development community.
This area is an economic hub for our county, with lots of exciting plans for transit-oriented housing and commercial development, and job-producing manufacturing and warehouse construction near BWI Airport. I have directed staff to expedite all efforts to allow for additional allocations. This work is outlined below.
- Evaluate the County system for Infiltration and Inflow (I&I)
- Complete the North County wastewater strategic plan to evaluate diversion alternatives so design and construction can begin
- Continue repairing and replacing aging sewer lines and manholes to reduce I&I
- Upgrade Linthicum/Shipley pump station and others as needed
- Implement operational improvements to optimize flow management, such as increased cleaning and flushing frequency
- Continue coordination with Baltimore County and Baltimore City at all levels
- Review allocated but not yet connected projects to fine-tune needs and to free up unneeded capacity
- Work with the development community on proffers to help build capacity or speed up diversion strategies
- Coordinate with BWI Airport to identify potentially available capacity
- Continue evaluating the use of reclaimed water for certain applications
- Collaborate with MDE on possible statewide solutions
- Create a Moratorium Mitigation Strategy Workgroup made up of County stakeholders
- Evaluate if a pumping and hauling strategy is feasible
- Evaluate if a small package plant that would collect and treat wastewater on a specific site without connection to the Baltimore Sewer Service Area is feasible
- Evaluate current processes to identify ways to avoid future moratoriums
I appreciate the concerns we’ve heard from stakeholders and want to reassure everyone that Anne Arundel County is moving as quickly as possible to identify alternative solutions and keep projects in this area of the county moving forward."