Worcester County, MD Water Use Rules: Leak Reporting Duty (2026)

Subsections (n) and (o) of § NR 2-201 were added 6-15-2004 by Bill No. 04-2 to the Water Conservation subtitle. Under § NR 2-201(g) the section applies throughout the County except within incorporated municipalities, so a leak in unincorporated Worcester County falls under it, while Ocean City, Berlin, Snow Hill and Pocomoke City apply their own codes.

The repair duty is in subsection (n): any person knowingly failing to repair a leak within a reasonable time after its discovery is in violation and subject to the penalties set out in the section. Subsection (n) states a reasonable time without giving a number of days. It adds that water service can be discontinued as set forth in subsection (p), whether or not repeated violations are found.

Subsection (o) lets the County department designated by the County Commissioners to administer and enforce the subtitle step in. With the consent of the property owner, the department can enter properties having leaks and repair them at the owner's expense, and the cost is added to the water bill for the property. If the department is unable to contact the owner and estimates the leak will result in significant loss of water or a significant rise in the owner's water bill, it can make the repair and add the cost to the bill without that consent. Amounts added to water bills become a lien upon the property and are collectable as any other water bill.

The County Commissioners can appoint enforcement officers, who are deputized with Sheriff's powers where the Sheriff of Worcester County deems it appropriate (§ NR 2-201(e)), and who carry a duty to run public information and education programs about water conservation (§ NR 2-201(f)).