Water Resources Element
Legislation (HB 1141) passed by the 2006 Maryland General Assembly requiring all local jurisdictions to develop and adopt a Water Resources Element (WRE) to their comprehensive plans.
This WRE must identify drinking water and other water resources needed for existing and future growth. It also must identify suitable receiving waters (where stormwater and treated wastewater can be discharged) and land areas for stormwater management and wastewater treatment. The WRE must address pollutant reductions, where needed, from both existing development and future growth. State guidance in 2022 also added climate change impacts to water resources to the topics to be addressed in the WRE.
2010 WRE
Carroll County and its municipalities worked collaboratively to develop one unified WRE document that can be adopted by all of Carroll County’s jurisdictions to satisfy the requirements of House Bill (HB) 1141. A joint WRE plan document was developed, using the Water Resources Coordination Council (WRCC) as the forum for collaboration. This same document was then adopted by all the participating jurisdictions. The jurisdictions that participated in adoption of the joint 2010 WRE plan document are Carroll County, Hampstead, Manchester, Mount Airy, New Windsor, Sykesville, Union Bridge, and Westminster.
To review or download the adopted 2010 plan document, click here:
Complete Adopted 2010 WRE Plan Document
2024 WRE
State law requires comprehensive plans to be updated every 10 years. In January 2022, MDP released updated guidance, which added addressing best practices for integrating climate change, identifying suitable receiving waters, and looking at projects through an equity lens.
As with the original 2010 plan document, for the 2024 WRE, Carroll County and its municipalities worked collaboratively to develop one unified WRE document that can be adopted by all of Carroll County’s jurisdictions to satisfy the State requirements for the 2024 updated document.
For the 2024 update, the County hired Hazen & Sawyer to update the 2010 supporting documents that provide technical assistance with several of the background assessments needed to inform decisions and develop strategies to be included in a plan element. Hazen also identified impacts of climate change and emerging contaminants on water resources in Carroll County and possible measures to address their impacts. These documents are available for review upon request.
County and municipal staff worked together to update the actual WRE plan document. The background assessments and resulting strategies for the WRE were primarily based on adopted plans, policies, and zoning/regulations in place at the time the assessments were completed or under consideration in 2023. The drinking water supply and wastewater system capacity and demand estimates were based on the zoning in place in 2022 for the 2023 Water and Sewer Service Areas.
2024 WRE: PLANNING COMMISSIONS REVIEW PROCESS
As an element of the municipal comprehensive plans and Carroll County Master Plan, each planning commission must review the draft plan, release a draft for the required 60-day State agency review period, hold a public hearing, and ultimately recommend a plan to the legislative body for review, public hearing, and adoption. Below is a link to view or download the draft plan document under review by all the municipal planning commissions.
Draft 2024 WRE Plan Document for State Agency & Public Review
Review and Adoption Process
- The 60-day State agency and public review period began on November 15, 2025, after all nine planning commissions reviewed the draft document and gave approval to release the draft plan for the 60-day review period. Comments are due from State agencies by January 15, 2026. Comments are due from the public by the close of the planning commission's public hearing on January 27, 2026. They can be emailed to Brenda Dinne at bdinne@carrollcountymd.gov or sent by U.S. Post to her attention at Planning & Land Management Department, 225 North Center St, Westminster, MD 21157.
- A public information meeting will be held on Tuesday evening, January 6, 2026, in the Reagan Room (Room 003) of the County Office Building. This meeting will be an open house style meeting beginning at 5:00 PM and ending at 7:00 PM. There will not be a formal presentation. Rather, members of the public are welcome to drop by any time between 5:00-7:00 PM to talk one-on-one with staff and ask questions in preparation for the public hearing, which is scheduled for the evening of January 27, 2026.
- Following the close of the State agency comment period, all nine planning commissions will hold a joint public hearing on Tuesday evening, January 27, 2026. The purpose of the hearing is for the planning commission members to hear verbal comments on the draft. Written comments will also be accepted that evening. There will not be an opportunity for questions and answers at the public hearing. Therefore, it is recommended to attend the information meeting on January 6 if there are questions.
- The planning commissions may make changes to the draft based on comments received from the State agencies, during the public comment period, and at the public hearing. A revised final draft will be approved by each planning commission and forwarded to their elected bodies with a recommendation for adoption.
- Each elected body will review the recommended draft and hold a public hearing. If the elected bodies adopt a final plan, it may be modified from the version recommended by the planning commissions.
For questions about the Carroll County and Municipalities WRE, contact Brenda Dinne by e-mail to bdinne@carrollcountymd.gov or by phone at 410-386-2140.