The City of Hagerstown first adopted a Sewer Capacity Allocation Program in 2005, in response to a Consent Judgment with the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) on January 12, 2005. The Consent Judgment limited the amount of sewer allocation that the City of Hagerstown was permitted to issue each calendar year for new development at 120,000 gallons per day until the wastewater plant was rehabilitated and upgraded or until other sewer system improvements were satisfactorily completed according to MDE.

The City was required to maintain an annual Sewer Capacity Allocation Plan (SCAP), subject to MDE approval, while the Consent Judgment remained in effect. The plan was required to provide for management of existing and future sewer commitments, distribution of future flow allocations in relation to capacity, and a system to limit the issuance of building permits and approval of new subdivision plats so as not to exceed the annual threshold of 120,000 gallons per day.

In January 2010, the City of Hagerstown completed the required upgrades to the Hagerstown Wastewater Treatment Plan, which then lifted the Consent Judgment.

Upon the recommendation of the City’s 2008 Comprehensive Plan and visionHagerstown 2035, the City has continued to adopt an annual SCAP as a prudent means of managing the City’s wastewater resources. At least once in each calendar year, the City reviews this program and, if deemed necessary, may revise the program with Mayor and City Council approval. Such changes may include alterations in the allocations. Per the Consolidated General Services Agreement, any award of allocation to Washington County in the Discretionary Reserve process may not result in a total allocation from the annual plant allocation that would exceed 25%, unless otherwise approved by the Mayor and City Council.

All residential subdivisions that create new, net build-able lots are subject to SCAP.

Click on the link below to see the Sewer Capacity Allocation Program for the City of Hagerstown’s Wastewater Treatment Plant for calendar year 2023.

Sewer Capacity Allocation Program - Amended May 2023