October 21st, 2025 by WCBC Radio

One billing option that has been explored by Maryland Water Service, the company that currently services customers in the Bel Air, Pinto, Glen Oaks, and Highland Estates area, is called rate smoothing. In cleanest terms, it takes the total of the company’s expenses and spreads them evenly across all customers. According to Senator Mike McKay, that concept does not benefit water users…

   

“Advocates that I’ve been talking to in Allegany County, like Mr. Smith, they are adamantly against smoothing of the rates. And he’s done a really good job of explaining why. That’s easy for accounting but it’s not necessarily good for the individual rate payers.”