Western Howard County Residents Face Days Without Water Following Power Outage

Residents in western Howard County, particularly in the Glenelg area, endured several days without power and running water after severe storms swept through the Baltimore region. The outages were particularly challenging for those relying on well water systems.

Paul Boyce, a local resident, expressed his frustration after the estimated restoration time from Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) indicated a delay of over 12 hours on Sunday. He noted that previous outages had typically been resolved in half that time.

Driving through the affected neighborhoods revealed extensive damage, with downed trees on nearly every property. A notable incident involved a tree near Glenelg High School that was split in two by lightning, taking down power lines in the process.

Neighbor Greg Lowe shared his disappointment with the slow response from BGE, stating that while a crew was seen in the area, they left before power was restored. The BGE app later updated the restoration estimate to 11 p.m. on Monday.

“It’s very frustrating. We feel somewhat forgotten in terms of the response that we’re getting from BGE,” said Lowe.

BGE officials did not comment on specific cases but acknowledged that restoration times can vary based on the complexity of the work and weather conditions.

The lack of running water posed additional challenges for families, as many residents depend on wells. Lowe highlighted that while short outages are manageable, extended periods without water create significant difficulties, especially for families with children and pets.

To assist residents, the Gary J. Arthur Community Center opened its doors, offering water, hot showers, and charging stations for electronic devices. However, Lowe noted that this solution may not be practical for everyone.

On Monday afternoon, crews identified a tree hanging on a power line as the primary cause of the outage and successfully restored power by 5 p.m.

BGE prioritizes restoration efforts by focusing first on essential services, followed by areas with the highest customer density, and considers the duration of outages during extended events.

Both Lowe and Boyce raised concerns about the increasing frequency of outages in their area, questioning whether infrastructure improvements, such as better tree management or updated power lines, could help mitigate future incidents.

Reported by HarborBeat based on WMAR-2 News (source).