Pennsylvania Lawmaker Proposes Wastewater Billing Caps

The legislation aims to lower sewer costs for low-income households by using winter consumption levels.

Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Utilities

Pennsylvania Lawmaker Proposes Wastewater Billing Caps

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Should states mandate utility billing caps to reduce costs for low-income households?

Pennsylvania State Representative Marla Brown has proposed legislation to cap monthly wastewater charges for low-income families. The measure seeks to protect residents from high sewer bills caused by summer water usage that does not return to the sewage system.

Why it matters

Many low-income households currently face inflated utility costs because wastewater bills are tied to total metered water use. This proposal aims to reduce financial strain by replacing that formula with winter average usage rates for qualifying residents.

The proposed program is open to households earning up to 200% of the Federal Poverty Level, which equates to an annual income of roughly $66,000 for a family of four. Utilities would be required to use the lesser of the winter average or actual metered usage for billing.

The players

Marla Brown

Marla Brown serves as a Pennsylvania State Representative for the 9th District and is the sponsor of the wastewater billing legislation.

The details

Under the current billing system, water used for outdoor activities like lawn maintenance is factored into sewer costs, leading to higher monthly bills. The proposed law would mandate that wastewater authorities and publicly regulated utilities cap charges at the winter consumption level for eligible customers throughout the year.

The legislative proposal remained at the memorandum stage as of Oct 15, 2026.

Market Landscape

The proposed cap follows a pattern set by modifying Pennsylvania's current wastewater utility billing formulas to decouple sewer charges from total water consumption. It marks a shift in how regulated utilities must account for non-sewage water use when setting household rates.

If passed, the legislation would allow eligible low-income families to pay significantly lower sewer bills by preventing seasonal outdoor water use from spiking their annual costs. Residents meeting the income requirements will see their wastewater charges tied to their lower winter consumption rates instead of total metered water volume.

The takeaway

This proposal highlights an ongoing effort to align utility billing with actual wastewater service levels rather than total water consumption. Households should monitor local legislative updates to see if the bill proceeds beyond the memorandum stage.