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Maryland Department of the Environment

Board of Public Works Approves Funding for Clean Water and the Chesapeake Bay

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Jay Apperson

(410) 537-3003
jay.apperson@maryland.gov

 

Board of Public Works Approves Funding for Clean Water and the Chesapeake Bay

 

BALTIMORE, MD (May 8, 2019) – The Maryland Board of Public Works approved more than $17 million in grants and loans today to reduce pollution and improve a drinking water system. 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,” said Maryland Environment Secretary Ben Grumbles. “We said we would support Baltimore City’s work to stop sewage overflows to meet the requirements of our consent decree, and we are doing exactly that. We will continue to push aggressively for environmental progress and public accountability while looking for ways to help provide financial assistance.”

The following projects were approved today:

Sanitary sewer system improvements – Baltimore City  

Bay Restoration Fund grants totaling $15,939,085 to Baltimore City will help fund improvements to the city’s sanitary sewer system. A $9,803,428 grant will help fund improvements to sanitary sewers in the northeast area of the city and a $6,135,657 grant will help fund improvements to the system in the Herring Run collection area. The grants help fund a continuation of the city’s efforts to prevent sanitary sewer overflows as required by a consent decree initiated by the Maryland Department of the Environment and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Department of the Environment and its federal partners reached an agreement with Baltimore City – a modification of a 2002 consent decree – to greatly reduce the amount of sewage that overflows in the city by January 2021. The projects are consistent with Maryland’s climate change adaptation and resiliency goals through the reduction of overflows, which are exacerbated by increased precipitation or floods.

Bedford Road Sanitary Sewer Rehab Phase VI project – Allegany County

Funding of $1.3 million – a $1,137,500 Bay Restoration Fund grant, an $81,250 grant in the form of loan forgiveness from the Water Quality State Revolving Loan Fund and an $81,250 Water Quality State Revolving Loan Fund loan – to Allegany County will help fund the repair and replacement of an aging and deteriorated system in the Bedford Road Sanitary Sewer District. The project will reduce inflow and infiltration of water to the lines, which leads to sewer overflows.

Town of Galena Water Meter Replacement project – Kent County

Grants totaling $135,937 to the Town of Galena will help fund the replacement of manually read analog water meters in the town’s distribution system with a modern, digital water meter system that is read by truck or from the town office. In addition to simplifying the billing process and decreasing the likelihood of errors, the new system provides greater monitoring capability to assist in the detection of leaks and other problems.

Trappe Wastewater Treatment Plant Enhanced Nutrient Removal Upgrade – Talbot County

A $25,975 Bay Restoration Fund grant to the Town of Trappe will help fund the planning of Enhanced Nutrient Removal (ENR) upgrades at the Trappe Wastewater Treatment Plant. After the upgrades, the facility will reduce its nitrogen discharge by 77 percent, significantly reducing the amount of nutrients discharged to La Trappe Creek, the Choptank River and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay. Excessive amounts of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus lead to lowered levels of oxygen needed to support aquatic life in waterways, including the Chesapeake Bay. Enhanced Nutrient Removal upgrades of wastewater treatment plants are a critical component of Maryland’s bay restoration plan.

Town of Luke Landslide Sewer Repair project – Allegany County

A $12,420 Chesapeake Bay Water Quality Supplemental Assistance grant to the Town of Luke will help fund the planning, design and construction to repair or replace a sewer line damaged by a landslide. The project will also stabilize the site to prevent future damage.

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