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This page outlines the procedures required to change service area categories and answers some commonly asked questions.
To change a service area category for a particular piece of property, follow these steps:
- 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..
- Calculate the fee from the information and instructions packet (see the last link under step 1).
- 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.
- 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. By default, category change requests—as amendments to the County's Water and Sewer Plan—are intended to be considered by the County Council, as provided for under state law. In the mid-1980s, however, the Council found itself having to address many requests of a fairly routine nature. In response, the Council developed and adopted the administrative delegation process for approving noncontroversial category change requests.
Under limited circumstances, the executive branch of the County (through the Director of DEP) acts on category change requests through the administrative process review. DEP may act to approve or conditionally approve an amendment or to defer an amendment to the Council for its process review. The authority is discretionary. The Director of DEP may also defer action on any potential administrative amendment to the County Council.
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, 1 pg, 21K)
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 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.
- April 26, 2012 - New category change packet for the County Council: Posted the County Executive’s April 2012 Amendment Packet. (Note that hearing and meeting dates will be added to this page as they are scheduled; please check back for updates.)
- April 12, 2012 - New category change requests filed with DEP: Posted the FY 2012-Q3: 2012 Third Quarter Applications Review Packet
Use the links in the diagram to open documents with more information or to see application review status.
Inter-agency Review Process
Public Hearing Schedule
Planning Board Discussion:
To be announced; please check back
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:
To be announced; please check back
Full Council Worksession:
To be announced; please check back
Full Council Action:
To be announced; please check back
See “Completed Actions” below for a link to the Council’s prior action (Resolution 17-217)
Learn more about the public hearing process
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Completed Actions
| Administrative Actions |
| AD 2011-2 (10/26/11) (PDF, 14 pp, 2.08Mb) |
| AD 2011-1 (6/22/11) (PDF, 11 pp, 1.8Mb) |
| AD 2010-4 (11/22/10) (PDF, 11 pp, 8.7Mb) |
| AD 2010-2 (6/23/10) (PDF, 8 pp, 1.3Mb) |
| AD 2009-4 (12/31/09) (PDF, 4 pg, 373K) |
| AD 2009-3 (8/26/09) (PDF, 28 pp, 2.8Mb) |
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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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