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Maryland Department of the Environment

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

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

BALTIMORE (July 1, 2020) – The Maryland Board of Public Works approved more than $167 million in funding today to reduce pollution and improve water quality. 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. “Upgrading wastewater treatment plants in Cecil and Somerset counties and repairing sewers in Prince George’s and Montgomery counties underscore the Hogan Administration’s commitment to water infrastructure to accelerate environmental progress and grow the economy.”



The following projects were approved today:



WSSC Sewer Basin Reconstruction Program —Prince George’s and Montgomery counties

Funding of $153,888,690 – a $150,174,502 Water Quality State Revolving Loan Fund loan and a $3,714,188 grant in the form of forgiveness of a Water Quality State Revolving Loan Fund loan – to the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission will help fund the repair, replacement and rehabilitation of sewers and manholes located on or near state, local and county road right-of-ways throughout Prince George’s and Montgomery counties. The sanitary sewer basins in Prince George’s County funded under this loan are the Beaverdam Basin, Broad Creek Basin, Lower Anacostia Basin, Northeast Branch Basin, Northwest Branch Basin, Oxon Run Basin, Paint Branch Basin, Parkway Basin, Piscataway Basin, Sligo Creek Basin, and Western Branch Basin. The sanitary sewer basins in Montgomery County funded under this loan are the Cabin John Basin, Little Falls Basin, Muddy Branch Basin, Northwest Branch Basin, Paint Branch Basin, Rock Creek Basin, Seneca Creek Basin, Sligo Creek Basin, and Watts Branch Basin. This project is consistent with Maryland’s climate change adaptation and resiliency objectives through the reduction of runoff that is exacerbated by increased precipitation or flooding events.



Port Deposit Wastewater Treatment Plant Replacement project – Cecil County

A $7,837,445 Bay Restoration Fund grant to Cecil County will help fund the planning, design and construction of an Enhanced Nutrient Removal (ENR) upgrade to replace the existing Port Deposit Wastewater Treatment Plant. Work includes the demolition and abandonment of the existing plant and construction of a new influent pump station and plant for ENR treatment. The project will allow the plant to reduce its nitrogen discharge by 83% and its phosphorus discharge by 90%, significantly reducing the amount of nutrients discharged to the Lower Susquehanna 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. ENR upgrades of wastewater treatment plants are a critical component of Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay restoration plan. This project will be constructed in accordance with coastal and non-coastal resiliency guidelines developed as part of the Coast Smart Program to reduce climate change risks to such projects.



Operation and Maintenance of Wastewater Treatment Plants with Enhanced Nutrient Removal Upgrades – Statewide

Bay Restoration Fund grants totaling $5,327,250 will provide funding for the operation and maintenance of wastewater treatment plants with Enhanced Nutrient Removal (ENR) upgrades. Grants from the Bay Restoration Fund equaling up to 10 percent of the annual fee revenue from wastewater treatment plant users can be provided to fund a portion of an ENR facility’s operation and maintenance. MDE recommended an operation and maintenance grant at a rate of up to $30,000 per million gallons per day of a facility’s design capacity, not to exceed $300,000 per year for any individual plant. The board approved grants ranging in amount from $11,250 to $300,000 to a total of 48 facilities across the state. Through ENR upgrades and proper operation, these plants have reduced nitrogen discharged to the Chesapeake Bay by more than 6.43 million pounds per year and have reduced phosphorus discharged to the Bay by more than 549,000 pounds per year. 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. ENR upgrades of the state’s major wastewater treatment plants are a critical component of Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay restoration plan.



Princess Anne Wastewater Treatment Plant Enhanced Nutrient Removal Upgrade project – Somerset County

A $23,000 Bay Restoration Fund grant to the Somerset County Sanitary District will help fund the planning for an Enhanced Nutrient Removal (ENR) upgrade for the Princess Anne Wastewater Treatment Plant. The project will allow the plant to reduce its nitrogen discharge by 55%, significantly reducing the amount of nutrients discharged to the Manokin 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. ENR upgrades of wastewater treatment plants are a critical component of Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay restoration plan. This project will be constructed in accordance with coastal and non-coastal resiliency guidelines developed as part of the Coast Smart Program to reduce climate change risks to such projects.


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