Families in several Allegany County communities — including Bel Air, Pinto, Glen Oaks, and Highland Estates — are facing an escalating public health crisis due to unaffordable and unreliable access to clean water and sanitation. Many residents are being forced to ration baths, reuse water, haul buckets from nearby streams, or travel to relatives’ homes just to maintain basic hygiene. Some households can no longer flush toilets or do laundry, while others face service shutoffs and unsafe living conditions.
Families in several Allegany County communities — including Bel Air, Pinto, Glen Oaks, and Highland Estates — are facing an escalating public health crisis due to unaffordable and unreliable access to clean water and sanitation. Many residents are being forced to ration baths, reuse water, haul buckets from nearby streams, or travel to relatives’ homes just to maintain basic hygiene. Some households can no longer flush toilets or do laundry, while others face service shutoffs and unsafe living conditions.
Families in several Allegany County communities — including Bel Air, Pinto, Glen Oaks, and Highland Estates — are facing an escalating public health crisis due to unaffordable and unreliable access to clean water and sanitation. Many residents are being forced to ration baths, reuse water, haul buckets from nearby streams, or travel to relatives’ homes just to maintain basic hygiene. Some households can no longer flush toilets or do laundry, while others face service shutoffs and unsafe living conditions.
Water and sewer bills in these neighborhoods often range from $400 to $900 per month—amounts that exceed many mortgage payments and far surpass other utility costs combined. These conditions have created a severe threat to public health, safety, and dignity.
In response, Senator Mike McKay has formally called on Governor Wes Moore to declare a State of Emergency under Maryland law for these affected areas. Such a declaration would allow the State to take immediate action to protect residents’ welfare and deploy essential emergency resources.
Senator McKay’s letter outlines several urgent steps the Governor could take, including:
These actions would provide immediate relief while laying the groundwork for longer-term solutions. Senator McKay is also calling for the creation of a Rural Appalachian Maryland Water Task Force, the establishment of a Maryland Water Affordability Standard, and exploration of county management or acquisition of the affected water systems to restore fairness and accountability.
Additionally, Senator McKay emphasized that a State of Emergency declaration would empower Attorney General Anthony Brown to investigate the business practices of the company responsible for managing the water systems — authority that cannot be exercised without such a declaration.
“Families in Allegany County are living in conditions no Marylander should ever face,” said Senator McKay. “This crisis meets every definition of a public emergency — it’s human-made, it’s ongoing, and it’s putting health and dignity at risk. The State must act now.”
Senator McKay continues to work alongside local leaders, residents, and state agencies to ensure that every Maryland family — regardless of zip code — has access to clean, safe, and affordable water.
For more information or to view the full letter sent to Governor Moore, please contact Senator McKay’s office at mike@mikemckaymd.com or 240-362-7040.