The average household’s water and sewer bill rose by $25.60 a quarter last year in Prince George’s County, and it could increase again this summer, according to projections by the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC).

Homeowners and local officials have said the increase, coupled with an approximate $14-per-month rate increase in electricity bills that took effect in June, has become a burden on consumers.

“Everything is going up these days, so it’s an impact on everybody,” said David Wilkins, WSSC’s customer service advocate for Northern Prince George’s County. “So when we have to pay our bills and our bills go up, car insurance goes up, then it impacts the things that they normally would do on a regular basis. They may take less vacations. They go out to eat less.”

WSSC’s fiscal year 2026 operating and capital budgets, which took effect on July 1, 2025, total $1.8 billion — $18.8 million more than the prior year. The FY 2027 budget is expected to increase as well.

A WSSC representative said the increases are based on the rising cost of chemicals, heat, light and power, a wastewater treatment facility and health insurance.

“When you have utilities — water utilities, electricity utilities, gas utilities — all these public entities can’t just set prices any way they want,” said Louis Preonas, an assistant professor of agricultural and resource economics at the University of Maryland. “We’ve had to upgrade this treatment thing. We had some storms that caused some damage. We have to fix it. So we’re actually kind of not making any money this year, and we need to be able to raise prices to cover those costs.”

Tips for lowering your water bill

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 15% of a household’s water use goes to lawns and gardens. As water prices increase, consumer advocates and others offer tips for lowering your water bill:

  • Ask for help. WSSC has a Customer Assistance Program (CAP) that offers financial assistance to homeowners. In addition, the utility’s Get Current program for lower-income residents and federal employees affected by the government shutdown will forgive up to 50% of past-due water bills through January.
  • Repair leaky faucets. A CAP Leak Repair Program helps customers save money and conserve water by identifying and repairing leaking plumbing fixtures. Eligible customers can receive up to $9,000 per year in plumbing repair services.
  • Sweep driveways instead of cleaning them with a hose.
  • Turn off the faucet while shaving and brushing your teeth to save more than 200 gallons of water a month.
  • Install WaterSense-labeled showerheads, which can save up to 2,700 gallons of water each year.
  • Skip the bathtub. A five-minute shower uses 10 to 20 gallons of water, while a bath uses about 70.
  • Run the dishwasher only when it’s full. Hand-washing dishes can use more than 20 gallons of water, compared with three to six gallons for a dishwasher.