Residential Rental Water Testing Memo

Date: November 10, 2025
From: Melinda Smith-Pritt
Questions: [email protected]
RE: A reminder that bacteriological water testing is required for long-term residential rentals served by a private water supply in Garrett County.

Maryland House Bill 1069, Chapter 622, requires the owner of a residential rental property that is served by a private water supply well to provide water quality testing every (3) years. Tenants must be notified of any water quality results when they are completed and of the most recent water quality test when they sign a lease.

Water quality testing must include total coliform and E. coli bacteria. If results are positive or greater than 1 MPN for either total coliform or E. coli bacteria, the rental property owner shall:

Notify the Office of Environmental Health about the contamination,
Provide tenant(s) with an approved potable water supply until the contamination is permanently remediated,
Within 60 days of the date on which the owner knew of the contamination, resolve the issue.

Failure to comply with this legislation may result in fines up to $1,000.00. Water quality tests must be completed by a State certified water laboratory. The Office of Environmental Health is currently NOT able to conduct the water testing mandated by this House Bill.

* Transient Vacation Rental Units are still required to submit ANNUAL water testing results to maintain their license.