BOONSBORO, Md. — Boonsboro’s $6.8 million reservoir replacement is already showing signs of substantially reducing the amount of water the town must produce, potentially freeing capacity to serve hundreds of additional homes.
Preliminary operating data presented to the mayor and council at its last meeting showed water production trending sharply downward since the new reservoir came online. Officials cautioned that several months of data will be needed to determine the project’s full effect.
Town officials said the reservoir replacement cost about $6.8 million, including $1 million in federal Environmental Protection Agency funding. Boonsboro’s fiscal 2026 budget identifies about $6.79 million in project funding from federal, state and local sources.
The project replaced a reservoir built in 1954 that had been losing large amounts of treated water. Maryland environmental records estimated the old reservoir was leaking about 15,000 gallons per day, while a more recent EPA review said leakage had reached as much as 30 percent of the reservoir’s water.
The new system consists of a one-million-gallon concrete reservoir divided into two 500,000-gallon basins. The project also includes replacement of an aging 12-inch water line connecting the reservoir to the distribution system.
At the September meeting, preliminary figures indicated water production could ultimately fall by roughly 80,000 to 100,000 gallons per day. At the upper end of that range, officials said the recovered capacity would be equivalent to about 400 additional dwelling units.
Officials said they expect to have a clearer picture after another quarter or two of operation.
Town considers electricity contract
Boonsboro also considered switching electricity generation suppliers under a proposal projected to save the town about $51,000 annually.
The proposal from WGL Energy Services would lock in the generation portion of the town’s electricity costs. Figures presented at the meeting projected approximately $51,480 in savings over 12 months based on current rates, although officials stressed that future energy prices could change the actual savings.
Council members discussed whether a shorter contract could reduce the risk of locking the town into a rate that might become less favorable if electricity prices fall. The town’s Sept. 14 agenda listed the WGL proposal for discussion but not for final approval.
Residents press on license plate readers
Residents again asked Boonsboro officials for a dedicated public discussion of the town’s automated license plate readers, raising concerns about privacy and surveillance.
One resident asked for a public forum where residents could discuss what he called “mass public surveillance” and where council members could hear directly from the community.
Officials spent considerable time discussing whether the town should organize such a forum or whether residents concerned about the cameras should first organize a community meeting themselves. Town officials defended the law-enforcement benefits of the cameras while acknowledging that some residents remain concerned about their effect on privacy.
The issue has continued to develop since the Sept. 14 meeting, with the town scheduling a separate meeting devoted to license plate readers.
Water main needs additional work
The council also approved a change order for the Potomac Street water main replacement project after construction encountered conditions that differed from existing town records and additional work was required.
The change involved Mid-Atlantic Utilities and a 12-inch water extension. The town’s agenda specifically identified approval of Change Order No. 1 for the Potomac Street project as an action item.
