Rockville Receives $2.68 Million in Federal Funding for Water and Sewer Infrastructure Projects
March 1, 2026
Rockville has been awarded $2.68 million in federal earmark funding to support three infrastructure projects focused on improving drinking water safety and the wastewater system.
The Mayor and Council recognized the city’s congressional delegation — U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin and Sens. Angela Alsobrooks and Chris Van Hollen — for their support.
Earmarks, or congressionally directed spending, allow members of Congress to request a portion of federal spending to be directed to specific projects or programs. The funding, awarded through the Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations minibus package, will support a lead service line inventory investigation, replacement of aging Orangeburg sewer laterals, and rehabilitation of the city’s wastewater collection system.
“We are thankful to the Mayor and Council for their support for these projects and to the [Department of] Public Works team for submitting competitive applications that resulted in a substantial award,” Rockville City Manager Jeff Mihelich wrote in an email announcing the funding.
The largest portion of the funding, $1.09 million, will be used for the Orangeburg Lateral Replacement project. Orangeburg pipes, installed primarily in the mid-20th century, are prone to deterioration and failure. Replacing the pipes reduces the risk of sewage backups, overflows and ground contamination.
Another $1.09 million will support the Wastewater Collection System Rehabilitation project, which will rehabilitate more than 54,000 linear feet of aging wastewater pipes in southeast Rockville. The work is intended to prevent sewage backups that can damage private property, threaten public health and pollute local waterways.
The remaining $500,000 will fund a lead service line inventory investigation to identify more than 8,000 water service lines with unknown materials. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lead and copper rule revisions require that all water service providers, including Rockville, prepare an inventory of materials used in water service line pipes on both public and private property.
As part of the project, Rockville is encouraging its customers with unknown service line materials to visit rockvillemd.gov/lcrr to complete a service line inventory survey for their home.
The funding will allow Rockville to advance critical infrastructure work while reducing the financial burden on the community and supporting the city’s ongoing efforts to protect public health and maintain reliable water and sewer systems.
SEN. ANGELA ALSOBROOKS
“I will always fight for Maryland to be ahead of the curve — innovating, leading, and maintaining and upgrading our infrastructure early. I am proud to have worked to secure over $2 million for Rockville to upgrade their water and sewer infrastructure. We know pipes, especially those that are decades old, are prone to deterioration and failure. This funding will replace pipes in Rockville, reduce risks and allow the city to keep thriving,” Alsobrooks said.
SEN. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN
“Safe drinking water and reliable sewer systems are fundamental needs for our communities. That’s why we worked to secure over $2.5 million in direct federal funding to help Rockville modernize aging sewer lines and identify potential hazards posed by existing pipes. These investments will help better meet the city’s water infrastructure needs while safeguarding public health and preventing pollution in local waterways,” Van Hollen said.
REP. JAMIE RASKIN
“Together, we’ve secured more than $2.6 million in federal funding for Rockville to repair wastewater and sewage pipes and identify lead pipes, improving the health and safety of the community. At a time when government seems to be going off the rails, I’m proud to have partnered with Sens. Van Hollen and Alsobrooks to invest federal tax dollars right here in Montgomery County where it matters most to our people,” Raskin said.