The “flush tax” in Maryland is set to double after both houses of the state legislature passed bills this year. The $30 annual fee will increase to $60 to fund programs to protect the Chesapeake Bay, including wastewater treatment plant renovations, septic system upgrades, and cover crop programs to help farmers prevent soil erosion. A new provision of the tax exempts areas where wastewater is not discharged to the Bay.
The tax was instituted in 2004. The fee is paid on sewage bills for those on municipal systems or on property tax bills for those who have septic systems. An amendment
