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Maryland Department of the Environment

Board of Public Works approves funding for clean water and the Chesapeake Bay

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Jay Apperson

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Board of Public Works approves funding for clean water and the Chesapeake Bay

Grants and loans fund Southern Kent Island sewage project to reduce water pollution, improvements to Baltimore City drinking water system

Baltimore, MD (Nov. 2, 2016) – The Maryland Board of Public Works approved more than $33 million in funding today to reduce pollution and improve water quality through a major sewage project on Kent Island in Queen Anne’s County. The Board also approved a $1.5 million grant for an upgrade to the public drinking water system that serves both Baltimore City and Baltimore County residents. The Board is composed of Governor Larry Hogan, Treasurer Nancy K. Kopp and Comptroller Peter Franchot.

“These are smart investments to protect public health and prevent water pollution in Maryland communities and the Chesapeake Bay. The Maryland Department of the Environment thanks Governor Hogan for his leadership on this environmental priority,” said Maryland Secretary of the Environment Ben Grumbles. “We congratulate Queen Anne’s County for moving forward on such an important project for clean water. It makes sense to stop the harm from failing septics and rethink the opportunities for broader environmental solutions. That’s why we are enthusiastic about retooling our efforts statewide to ensure septics work well and advancing local discussions on septics, sewers and sustainable development.”

The following projects were approved today:

Southern Kent Island Sanitary Project, Phase I – Queen Anne’s County  

A $31,906,558 Water Quality State Revolving Loan Fund loan, with a $1,267,000 grant in the form of loan forgiveness, to Queen Anne’s County will help fund the Southern Kent Island Sanitary Project, Phase I. The project will provide public sewer service to areas of Southern Kent Island that suffer from pollution caused by failing septic systems and septic systems that discharge directly to groundwater. In addition to the funding approved today, the Maryland Department of the Environment expects to provide about $15 million in Bay Restoration Fund grants over the next several years to assist the county with loan repayment.

Fullerton Water Reservoir project – Baltimore City, Baltimore County

A $1.5 million Water Supply Financial Assistance grant to Baltimore City will help fund the design and construction of finished water storage tanks with a capacity of about 60 million gallons to replace open storage reservoirs in the water system that serves Baltimore City and Baltimore County. This grant will be used toward the city’s share of costs for this project. The work also includes construction of a secondary chlorination treatment facility and associated piping, valves and controls. The project is necessary under a settlement agreement between the Maryland Department of the Environment and the City of Baltimore to comply with a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rule designed to improve drinking water quality and provide additional protection from contaminants.

 

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