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Bill

HB 220

Environment - Water - Individual Submeters

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Lorig Charkoudian and 1 co-sponsor

Maryland HB 220 mandates individual water meters in multi-unit residential buildings to charge residents based on actual consumption rather than shared costs.

Approved by the Governor - Chapter 262
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Bill Summary · HB 220

Legislative bill overview

HB 220 requires individual unit meters for water consumption in multi-unit residential buildings in Maryland. The bill establishes standards for meter installation, maintenance, and billing based on actual water usage rather than shared building consumption.

Why is this important

Individual metering creates direct financial incentives for tenants to conserve water, potentially reducing overall consumption and lowering utility costs for both residents and building owners. This policy aligns with broader water conservation goals while promoting equity in cost allocation based on actual usage.

Potential points of contention

  • Implementation costs: Building owners may face significant expenses retrofitting existing multi-unit properties with individual meters, which could be passed to tenants or absorbed as operational losses
  • Existing lease structures: Questions remain about how the requirement applies to current leases and whether it creates conflicts with existing utility payment arrangements
  • Technical feasibility: Older buildings may have infrastructure challenges making meter installation impractical or prohibitively expensive, raising equity concerns about which properties can comply
  • Billing complexity: Transition from shared to individual billing systems requires new administrative processes and may initially create disputes over baseline costs and allocation methods

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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