Baltimore Began Pumping Susquehanna River Water
Low reservoir levels forced the city to supplement its municipal supply with river water.
Updated on Oct. 12, 2026 in Utilities
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Baltimore has started drawing 30 million gallons of water daily from the Susquehanna River to bolster its drought-stricken municipal supply. The water is being blended with existing reservoir stocks for approximately 350,000 households.
Why it matters
Hot and dry summer conditions significantly depleted the Liberty, Loch Raven, and Prettyboy reservoirs, necessitating the move to ensure long-term water availability. This process keeps the city's supply stable despite record low reservoir levels.
The city is pulling 30 million gallons of water daily through a 37-mile tunnel from the Conowingo Dam. The Susquehanna source now accounts for 20% to 40% of the blended water distributed to 350,000 households.
The players
Constellation Energy
This energy company manages the Conowingo Dam and stated it will not charge the city for the water usage.
Lake Montebello
This site serves as the critical filtration plant for the city of Baltimore.
The details
Public works officials confirmed that river water began arriving at the Lake Montebello filtration plant on October 9. Households may notice changes in the smell, taste, or color of their tap water due to the river-reservoir blend.
Timeline
The Big Inch pipe used for transport was laid in the 1960s.
Baltimore previously utilized river water during a drought in 1999.
The city last pulled water from the Susquehanna River in 2008.
River water first arrived at the filtration plant on October 9, 2026.
Market Landscape
This emergency measure follows the pattern set by the 2008 Baltimore water emergency, marking the first return to this backup supply since that year. The city is currently managing its resource constraints by integrating secondary supply lines to maintain service levels.
Residents supplied by the Montebello treatment plant may notice changes in the color, taste, or smell of their tap water as the blend is distributed. There is currently no direct cost increase to the city for this supplemental water usage.
The takeaway
When municipal reservoirs reach critically low capacity, cities rely on legacy infrastructure to maintain core service levels. Residents should be prepared for temporary aesthetic changes to their tap water when blended sources are introduced into the distribution system.
Further reading
For more information on the local infrastructure, visit the Baltimore Utilities section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Baltimore Banner.
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