The Baltimore City Department of Public Works is taking steps to protect the safety and health of the public and of our workforce as we respond to the coronavirus(COVID-19) outbreak. We are committed to keeping residents and other stakeholders informed about the changes to DPW services.  

DPW continues to offer repayment plans for customers who fall behind in their water bills.

In response to evolving COVID-19 outbreak, DPW has taken steps to:

Ensure the continued delivery of safe, clean drinking water

The City’s rigorous water filtration and disinfection process and testing procedures ensure that drinking water is free of viruses, including COVID-19. This also applies to the wastewater systems operated by the City of Baltimore.

The CDC is reviewing all data on COVID-19 transmission as information becomes available. At this time, the risk of transmission of the virus that causes COVID-19 through sewerage systems is thought to be low. This guidance will be updated as necessary as new evidence is assessed. Read more about coronavirus on CDC's website

Protect the health and safety of our employees

To safeguard solid waste workers, we are following the advice from OSHA and the CDC. We provide all employees puncture-resistant gloves and masks. We have contracted with a vendor for laundry services for solid waste workers so that they are not bringing contaminated clothing home. DPW Supervisors are monitoring employees to make sure they follow handwashing and good hygiene. There will be minimal staff working at the water filtration and wastewater treatment plants in order to comply with social distancing and to ensure an adequate reserve or workers who can perform these critical functions. All DPW workers are provided with personal protective equipment, as recommended by OSHA.

Continue DPW’s essential services

In response to the evolving conditions related to the threat of COVID-19 and to ensure the safety of the public and of our employees, DPW has made adjustments to its solid waste and water services. Residential trash collections are continuing on their regular schedules. Recycling collections are now occuring on bi-weekly schedule. Additional information on Bi-Weekly Recycling Collections can be found on this website's Collections Update Page.