I am fine with this. If you live in a modern civilization, you cannot have 100 year old infrastructure.

One caveat-the projects should be well managed and the dollars accounted for. I hate when projects sit half finished for months ie. Roosevelt park in Hampden, Charles Street sidewalks, etc.

There should be a Baltimore infrastructure website with updates on all projects with explanations of delays.

just more of a burdon on the 10% or so residents who actually PAY taxes and utilties...why not cut funding for useless programs and give the hardworking middle class folks a break for once? Oh, I'm sorry, that would actually make sense.

No one recalls that water main break from a year (or 2?) ago? The pipe was over a century old and caused mayhem downtown. This increase will go towards efforts to repair/replace other aging systems.

And it isn't that hard to install low-flo showerheads and faucets.

Most household water usage though is done via the toliet. You can actually save a lot of water here by simply putting a bottle full of water in the water tank.

More tips here:http://livinggreen.ifas.ufl.edu/water/water_conservation.html

Our quarterly water and sewer bill in southeastern Carroll County is $350. Yes $350. The residents of Marriottsville, Eldersburg and Sykesville are being raped day in and day out by the Public Works Department. Liberty Res. is in Carroll County but the city owns the res. and sells back our water at a 500-1,000% profit. When the tiolet is flushed that eguals 25 cents every time. It is out of hand!!!

Higher price = more conservation. This has always been the case, and always will be the case. Install low-flow fixtures. Update your 1970s 5 gallon-per-flush toilet to a 1.6gpf toilet. You'll make up your $88 dollars and save your house from being flooded. Just ask the people in downtown or Middle River, etc.

I understand that an continuing increase in rates may be necessary (try living in the WSSC area if you want to see high water bills!). But some of the increases appear to have had the goal of increasing revenue, not necessarily promoting conservation. The minimum usage has gone up as well. If you are a one-person household, you can conserve all you want and not reduce your bill.

"When the tiolet is flushed that eguals 25 cents every time. It is out of hand!!!"

No. Wrong. Here are the Carroll County water and sewer rates:

http://ccgovernment.carr.org/ccg/util/rate-info.pdf

Your toilet would have to use about 20 gallons per flush to cost 25 cents.

I could go with an increase but only if it ALL goes to REALl infrastructure improvement.

Municipal water cannot be sold for profit. Compare the cost of a gallon of water to gas, oil, orange juice, etc. For something so essential to life it is really cheap.

Are you kidding me? Baltimore City already has the highest rates in the country. Yes. the entire nation! We (those that actually live in the City, not Balt Co, Carroll Co or Howard Co) pay up to double what the counties pay. It's always $.10 for this and 5% for that. Doesn't seem like much. But it adds up and it's real money. Divide and conquer. Wake up Baltimore. Wake up Maryland.

Because Baltimore County owns the reservoirs so therefore city water bills are higher than the county people ....... hey wait a minute, you are in the county! It would be much higher if you lived in the city. So feel lucky.

City water bills are not higher than county water bills. City water bills include water and sewer charges. County water bills only show water charges. County sewer charges are included in the property tax. The City of Baltimore supplies water to Baltimore County in accordance with the State of Maryland Metropolitan District Act (1924) and under a separate 1972 agreement. Under these terms the County is obligated to pay the actual costs incurred by the City for capital investment, operation, maintenance, and management of water services.

I totally agree that replacing the aging infrastructure in the city is not only important but absolutely necessary. And I would have no problem contributing to this if I wasn't paying the outrageous property tax for living in the city. I chose to live in the city in order to do my part and not contribute to urban sprawl, traffic congestion, and to help renovate a already existing property thus improving a neighborhood. The stars have left my eyes though as I continue to be punished for what I thought was a good thing. In addition to the property tax, I pay higher car insurance, higher home insurance, and higher income tax yet I get little for my money. And yet I continue to watch as the non-profits buy up land or take over properties that once paid property taxes (ie former Zurich Bldg) and now are exempt. I understand that these entities provide services to the community but this does not cover the amount or property tax the city is loosing nor the burden placed on the residents like myself who would like to stay but no longer can afford to. the companies need to pay something! I myself hope that I can get out before I go broke!