Baltimore’s decline is extraordinary. The city’s population is only 62% of its 1950 peak, and nearly 20% of its jobs have been shed since 1990. Shortly after World War II, the city’s median household income was higher than the national average; now it is more than 25% below. Baltimore’s poverty rate was once lower than the national average; now it’s nearly double.
The city’s economy isn’t the only thing collapsing. Mr. Biden, while touting his infrastructure plan, failed to mention that Baltimore’s water and wastewater infrastructure is crumbling. These systems account for 14% of the city’s total operating budget, roughly equal to the Baltimore Police Department’s operating budget and nearly double that of the Fire Department. Water and wastewater dominate the city’s capital budget, accounting for 56% of the total.
If the president had been properly briefed and had chosen to speak about Baltimore’s water system, he would have been forced to proclaim that it is in a state of disrepair and leaks like a sieve. In 2018 Baltimore leaked away over 25% of its water, significantly more than most comparable cities.
And there is no sign that the leaks will be plugged soon. All Maryland water systems serving populations over 10,000 must submit an annual audit. For those with water-loss rates greater than 10%, submission of a water-loss-reduction plan is required. But Baltimore is statutorily exempt from this process.