A flap between local governments killed a water study. Was it a symptom of a deeper rift?

Last fall, Hagerstown officials asked the Washington County Community Lobbying Coalition for help in securing state money for a needed study of water system needs. The coalition is a group spearheaded by the Greater Hagerstown Committee and the Washington County Chamber of Commerce to support local interests with the state government. And the water study was an issue with broader implications than just for the city, as more than half of Hagerstown’s water customers are outside the city limits.