June 16th, 2025 by WCBC Radio

WCBC News has found that there are precedents for local governments taking over private water services in situations similar to what Bel Air residents are facing.  In Lake Wylie, South Carolina, York County government purchased Blue Granite Water System that shares the same parent company as Maryland Water Service. Negotiations for the sale took over a year, and cost the county $36 million dollars. York County Information Officer Greg Suskin told WCBC complaints had come in for some time…

   

“The company, Blue Granite, would go before the Public Service Commission about every two years on average and ask for a rate increase. So you had constant rate increases hitting consumers but there were also complaints about the status of the system itself – whether be it leaks, be it bad service.”

York County added a monthly surcharge to customer bills to help pay for buying the system, but also was able to use $10 million dollars in American Rescue Plan funds at the time of purchase.