Do you live in Baltimore County? Your water bill is going up by more than 7% in July.

Starting next month, Baltimore County residents will have to pay just a little bit more to take a shower, water the grass or do a load of laundry.

On Wednesday, the Baltimore City Board of Estimates approved a 7.25% water rate increase for county residents beginning July 1. Both the city and county share the same supply of water through the Baltimore Metropolitan Water and Wastewater System, which is owned and operated by the city.

The rate hike is up from last year’s 4.9% increase.

Ron Snyder, a spokesperson for the Baltimore County Department of Public Works and Transportation, cautioned residents that water rates vary based on usage, meter size and property type.

He added that the average residential customer with the smallest meter pays around $40 a month, which should only increase by $2.90 with the new rate.

Baltimore bills around 1.8 million city and county residents for water usage, per a 1972 agreement that tasked the city with responsibility for the water supply and wastewater operations, maintenance and capital investments.

Alan Robinson, the city’s deputy public works director, told the board of estimates, which approves and supervises the city’s contracts, that each jurisdiction has different rate structures.

“It is not an apples-to-apples comparison,” he said.

Robinson added that the city charges its residents for infrastructure and usage, while the county charges a minimum per-water amount.

Snyder told The Banner that under the regional water system, the county pays a proportional share of its costs to the city.

He also stressed that the pay structure for city and county residents is not comparable.

“Note that Baltimore County residents receive separate bills for water and sewer service,” Snyder wrote in an email. “Water charges are billed quarterly by Baltimore City, while sewer charges are included annually on County property tax bills.”

The county spokesperson explained that the city’s operational costs — increasingly expensive treatment chemicals, utilities and outsourced labor — forced the county to increase its rate.

The county does not offer a water bill assistance program, but eligible residents can apply for state and nonprofit resources through the 211 Maryland Information Network’s water assistance resource page.