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Service Area Category Changes

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On this page

• Step-by-Step Checklist and Forms
• Application Review Process
• Schedule of Hearings on Applications
• Current Applications
• Completed Actions
• Commonly Asked Questions

Related Topics

• Water and Sewer Plan
• Water and Sewer Service Area Categories
• Service Area Category Changes
• Public Water and Sewer Service
• Private Well and Septic Service
• Development Resources
• Glen Hills Area Sanitation Study

Get Help

Find water and sewer categories using the MC Map Viewer

Download a copy of the Water/Sewer Category Change Request Form (MS Word)

For questions regarding sewer area category changes, contact DEP:

240.777.7770
Email: askdep@montgomerycountymd.gov

This page outlines the procedures required to change service area categories and answers some commonly asked questions.

Step-by-Step Checklists and Forms for Category Change Requests

To change a service area category for a particular piece of property, follow these steps:

1. Fill out the Water/Sewer Category Change Request Form (MS Word). You may find that your County property tax bill and the Maryland Real Property database is useful for finding the information you'll need to complete the form. Click for instructions and information about the application..
2. Calculate the fee from the information and instructions packet (see the last link under step 1).
3. Take your payment and two (2) copies of the application fee receipt (in person) to the Treasury Department at 255 Rockville Pike, Suite L-15, Rockville, MD 20850 (the same building as the Department of Environmental Protection). Hours: 8:00-4:30 Monday-Friday. Be sure to get your copy of the application fee receipt stamped to show that the Treasury Department received your payment.
4. Take the stamped receipt and the application upstairs to the DEP office.

Each application goes through the review process outlined below with comments from DEP, the Department of Permitting Services(DPS), the Montgomery County Department of Parks and Planning (M-NCPPC), and the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC). Agency comments are posted on the Web, and all interested parties are notified. Written public testimony is accepted at any time during the review period.

View current service area category change requests.

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Application Review Process

All applications go through an administrative process review or a County Council process review.

County Council Review

Administrative Review

Learn more about the administrative process.

Learn more about the County Council process.

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Schedule of Hearings on Applications

Current public hearing dates are posted below for both Administrative Review packets and County Council Review packets.

See Projected hearing dates for Administrative and County Council packets for a planned schedule for category change requests filed during the current fiscal year. (PDF, 2 pg, 29K)

Note: This calendar is tentative and intended only as a guide to help project the timing of your application review process.

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Current Applications

Recent Updates

• May 20, 2013 - Posted the first, second, and third quarters FY 2013 new category change review packet
• September 4, 2012 – Posted the fourth quarter FY 2012 new category change review packet and the revised hearing date for the AD 2012-2 administrative delegation packet.
• August 14, 2012 – Posted two recent category change actions: County Council Resolution No. 17-504, adopted on July 24, 2012; and DEP Administrative Delegation action AD 2012-1, adopted on July 12, 2012.
• July 13, 2012 – Posted information on the County Council’s worksession and vote on the County Executive’s April 2012 Amendment Packet. (See below.)
• June 26, 2012 – Posted information on the County Council committee worksession on the County Executive’s April 2012 Amendment Packet.
• May 17, 2012 - Posted a new category change packet and hearing information for the administrative delegation process: AD 2012-1 Administrative Packet. Added the Council’s hearing date for the Executive’s April 2012 Amendment Packet.

Use the links in the diagram to open documents with more information or to see application review status.

Current Applications

FY 2012-Q4: 2012 Fourth Quarter Applications (PDF, 25 pp, 9.2Mb
FY 2013-Q1/2/3: 2013 First, Second, and Third Quarter Applications(PDF, 30 pp, 4.92Mb)

Inter-agency Review Process

County Council Review

County Executive's April 2012 Amendment Packet (PDF, 60 pp, 5.9Mb)

Public Hearing Schedule

Planning Board Discussion:

Date/Time: Thursday afternoon, May 31, 2012

County Council Public Hearing:

Date/Time: Thursday, June 21, 2012 at 7:30 pm
Location: Council Office Building, 100 Maryland Avenue, Rockville, Third Floor Hearing Room

T&E Committee Worksession:

Date/Time: Thursday, July 17, 2012 at 2:00 pm

Full Council Worksession:

To be announced; please check back

Full Council Action:

Date/Time: Thursday, July 24, 2012 at 2:00 pm


See "Completed Actions" below for a link to County Council Resolution no. 17-504 and other recent Council resolutions.
Learn more about the public hearing process

Current Administrative Review Packet

AD 2012-2 Administrative Packet (PDF, 33 pp, 9MB)

Public Hearing Schedule

DEP Public Hearing

Date/Time: Friday, November 30, 2012 at 10:30 am
Location: DEP, 255 Rockville Pike, Suite #120, Rockville, MD 20850

DEP Hearing Record Closing Date: December 7, 2012 at 4:30 p.m

Expected Planning Board Hearing Date: Thursday, November 15, 2012
Use this link to see the Planning Board's Agenda

See "Completed Actions" below for a link to DEP's AD 2012-1 summary of action and other recent administrative actions.
Learn more about the public hearing process

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Completed Actions

County Council Actions

March 2012 Co. Exec. Transmittal: Resolution 17-504 (7/24/12) (PDF, 9pp, 1.7Mb)

March 2011 Co. Exec. Transmittal:
Resolution 17-217 (7/19/11) (PDF, 17pp, 2.1Mb)

Administrative Actions

AD 2012-1 (07/12/12) (PDF, 12 pp, 11Mb)

AD 2011-2 (10/26/11) (PDF, 14 pp, 2.08Mb)

AD 2011-1 (6/22/11) (PDF, 11 pp, 1.8Mb)

Final Approval Actions

GWSMA 00A-CKB-01/partial, Mont. Co./Haddad (9/28/12) (PDF, 4pp, 523Kb)

WSCCR 07A-OLN-01, Freeman (9/11/12) (PDF, 3pp, 287Kb)

WSCCR 02A-CKB-02, Stanley/ Nehouse (9/11/12) (PDF, 3pp, 313Kb)

WSCCR 11A-TRV-03, Rickman Travilah LLC (10/13/11) (PDF, 3pp, 393Kb)

WSCCR 05A-OLN-04, Oxbridge Development at Batchellors Forest LC (9/21/11) (PDF, 4pp, 566Kb)

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Commonly Asked Questions

Why would I apply for a category change?

If your property is currently served by well and/or septic and you'd like to request public water and sewer, but your property is not in the correct category for public water and/or sewer, you must fill out a water and sewer category change application.

How do I determine the category for my property?

The property's category is available as a data layer on a map. Follow these step-by-step directions to use the County's interactive MapViewer to locate your property address and check its water and sewer category.

What do the different categories mean?

The definitions of the water and sewer categories are spelled out in the category definition table.

How do I find all the property information that is asked for on the category change request form?

You can search the Maryland Real Property database and display your property records at the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation site.

How will my category change request be reviewed and how will a response be made?

Refer to the detailed Application Review Process section above.

How do I prepare for a public hearing about my category change application?

First, determine whether your application will go through the administrative review process or the County Council review process. Then, follow the instructions found on the administrative review process page or the County Council review process page.

How long does the review take?

The length of time it takes for the application to be processed depends on both the date the application is submitted and the nature and details of the application. If your category change request is going through the administrative process review, your application is handled by a Planning Board that meets four times a year to adjudicate applications for category changes. If your property is going through a County Council process review, hearings on category change applications are handled twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall.

What do I do after my category change has been approved?

If the category change connects your property to an existing utility line, contact WSSC's Permitting Services. If you need a utility line extension, contact WSSC's Development Services Group.

What if my category change request has been denied?

You may usually reapply 1 year after the date of your application denial. Before reapplying, it's useful to see if anything has changed since your initial application, such as the proximity of water and sewer lines, the zoning, or the intended sewer service envelope for the County. Also contact DEP at askdep@montgomerycountymd.gov for an explanation of why your request was denied or if there have been significant changes in the area of interest.

What if conditional approvals have been put on my category change request?

After you've met the conditions, you must notify DEP and provide documentation proving that the conditions have been met. A final approval memo for the category change will be sent to you.

Who do I contact for more information?

For further assistance, contact the Department of Environmental Protection at askdep@montgomerycountymd.gov or call 240.777.7700.

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