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• For years the water and sewer system did not produce enough revenue to pay the cost of operation. The extra money needed to keep the system running was taken from property tax revenues. This resulted in a higher property tax and artificially low water & sewer rates, which also made the town ineligible for many State and Federal assistance programs.
• In years past, the Town was able to keep rates unrealistically low by deferring depreciation payments. As a result, there was not enough money in the depreciation account to pay for the necessary water and sewer system upgrades.
• Tightening Federal and State environmental regulations, and pressure from local environmental groups, are forcing Trappe to replace its existing wastewater plant with an extremely sophisticated and costly new plant. Towns like Trappe, that discharge treated wastewater into small streams and creeks, are required to meet stricter regulations than towns that discharge into larger rivers and bays.
• Many other towns will also be forced to upgrade their treatment plants, and raise their service rates, when their current operating permits expire.
• Trappe's 72 year-old water tower, and a lot of the town's aging water mains, are being replaced in order for the town to meet current regulations for fire protection and drinking water quality. All of this comes with a big price tag.

That's a difficult question to answer. The water supplied by the town to your house is routinely tested and found to contain no detectable lead, but this does not guarantee that the water leaving your tap is lead free. Most lead contamination can be traced to lead-based solder used to join copper pipes, and lead used in the manufacture of brass used in some faucets. The level of lead contamination can very greatly from house to house, and even from faucet to faucet within the same house! Any risk from lead contamination can be greatly reduced by flushing the tap before drawing water for drinking or cooking. The only way to know for sure is to have the water in your house tested by a certified laboratory. The Town of Trappe does not provide this service, but we can help you locate a certified testing lab, if you would like to have your water tested for lead.   top

State regulations require that enough chlorine be added to the water so that there will still be some residual chlorine left by the time the water reaches the customer's home. Chlorine can give water a bleach-like taste and smell.   top

Yes, your plumber can install an inexpensive taste & odor filter in the water line to the kitchen sink (or where ever you draw drinking water). Faucet-mounted filters are also effective for removing chlorine taste.   top

Bottled water may taste better than town water due to the absence of chlorine. Bottled waters can also very greatly in quality and purity. One local super market's store brand of bottled water lists it's water source as the Baltimore City municipal water system! Your local municipal water supply is required to meet more Federal and State quality standards than are required for bottled water. It's really a matter of personal preference.   top

Water pressure is maintained at 50 to 55 pounds per square inch through out the town. Water pressure or "head" is generated by the height of the water above ground in the water tower and is not otherwise adjustable. Most complaints of "low pressure" can be traced to a valve that is not completely open, or something obstructing a screen or strainer. Turn off the water and remove the hoses from the washer. Remove any sand or debris from the fine screen where the hose attaches to the washer. Reconnect the hoses, fully open all water supply valves and see if the problem has been corrected. Many kitchen and bathroom spigots have screens on the end of the spout that can be easily removed and cleaned. Cleaning or replacing a toilet fill valve may require the services of a plumber. If your water pressure has always been low, then the problem may be that the water pipes in your house are just too small.   top

Never drink water that looks or smells dirty! Determine if the cloudiness is from air or dirt. Fill a clean clear glass with the water and let it stand for half an hour. If the cloudiness goes away in a few minutes and there is no sediment on the bottom of the glass, the problem is most likely air in the water, which is harmless. If there IS sediment on the bottom of the glass, the cloudiness is caused by silt or dirt in the water. In either case, the probable cause is that the water has been turned off recently for some type of repair work. This could be a repair in your home or on a city water main. Air can get into the pipes during a repair, and water rushing back into the pipes when service is restored can stir up rust and other sediments that may have built up in the pipes over time. The solution is usually to flush all water outlets until the water runs clear. If the problem persists, contact the Town water department.   top

A closer observation will likely reveal that only the hot water is affected by the bad smell. Many water heaters are built with a special metal anode rod for corrosion protection. This anode can react with sulfur containing substances, commonly present in small quantities in well water, to produce the rotten egg smell. Lowering the hot water temperature setting and flushing the hot water heater may help. The problem can usually be eliminated by having a plumber remove the anode rod.   top

When water is heated it expands and needs some place to go. In years past, the water from expansion was simply forced back into the city water mains. All recently installed or replaced water service connections in Trappe now contain a backflow prevention device that prevents anything from reentering the water distribution system. One result is that expanded water may occasionally be vented through the water heater's safety relief valve. Lowering the water temperature setting may help. A plumber can install a special water heater expansion tank which is designed to eliminate this condition.   top

Every home should have a homeowner's water cutoff. The most common locations are under a kitchen sink, in the utility room, under the house, or in the basement. Older homes may have a cutoff in the ground next to the foundation of the house. Proceed with caution if the valve is old or if it has not been used for a long time. Closing it could cause it to break or start leaking. The water cutoff at the street is for use by the Town personnel only. If you cannot find your water cutoff, or if it no longer works, you can call the Town Office and request that someone from the water department come and turn off your water at the street. There may be a charge for this service.  top

A rough estimate of water usage is 3000 gallons per person per month. Newer plumbing fixtures use less water and personal water use habits vary greatly.   top

You must continue to pay for water and sewer if the service is active, even if no water is used. If you plan to be away for an extended period, you can contact the Town Office and arrange to have your water service turned off until you return home. There is currently a $25.00 charge to turn off your service, and a $25.00 charge to turn it back on.   top

Try to determine the location of the problem. If the toilet is not working, but other drains in the house are OK, the problem is most likely something stuck in the toilet. If all of the drains in the house are backed up, the problem is most likely a blockage in the pipe between the house and the town sewer main. Tree roots frequently enter through a small crack or bad joints and clog the pipe. Town sewer mains are large and rarely become blocked, but before calling a sewer and drain service, call your neighbors and see if they are having the same problem. If they are, then call the Town Office or the Wastewater Treatment Plant to report the problem. If your house is the only house affected, you may need to call a plumber or sewer and drain service. The Town is only responsible the sewer mains in the street. The property owner is responsible for everything else.   top

Properly installed sinks, lavatories, showers, toilets, and tubs all have "traps" designed to prevent sewer gas from entering the house. The traps hold a small amount of water that block the passage of sewer gas. Water in the traps can evaporate if the bathroom is not used for a long time. Once the water has evaporated, sewer gas can enter the house. This is both unpleasant and dangerous. The solution is to flush the toilet and run some water in the tub, shower, and lavatory to refill the traps about once a week.   top

The Town of Trappe does not add fluoride to the town drinking water, however, our water does contain a small amount of naturally occurring fluoride. Our annual Water Quality Report contains the most recent test results for fluoride content. This report indicates how much fluoride is in the water when it comes from the well. If you use a water filtration device to "purify" your drinking water or to remove the chlorine taste, that device may also be removing all or part of the naturally occurring fluoride.   top