Yesterday, Maryland officials approved more than $2.6 million in grants and loans to reduce water pollution and improve a drinking water system. The projects are to separate a combined sewer system, upgrade an existing wastewater treatment plant and replace a failing asbestos-cement pipe.
“These are smart investments to protect public health and the environment,” said Maryland Environment Secretary Ben Grumbles. “Reducing combined sewer overflows in Western Maryland, upgrading the Grantsville wastewater treatment plant and improving the drinking water system in Federalsburg help deliver on our clean and safe water commitments, while boosting the economy locally and across the state.”
The following projects were approved:
Frostburg Combined Sewer Overflow Elimination, Beall Street Corridor project
Grants totaling $1,256,607 – a $1,211,602 Bay Restoration Fund grant and a $45,005 Chesapeake Bay Water Quality supplemental assistance grant – will help the City of Frostburg fund the next phase in a project to separate combined sewers within the city and reduce the frequency and volume of its combined sewer overflows (CSOs) that occur during wet weather.
This project will replace the aging combined sewer system with a new separated sanitary system to significantly reduce wet weather wastewater flows to downstream facilities of Allegany County, the Town of LaVale and the City of Cumberland Wastewater Treatment Plant. The project will reduce CSO discharges in compliance with a consent decree between the City of Frostburg and the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE).
Grantsville Wastewater Treatment Plant Enhanced Nutrient Removal Upgrade project
A $776,526 Bay Restoration Fund grant to the Town of Grantsville will fund the planning and design of a project to upgrade the Grantsville Wastewater Treatment Plant so that it can achieve Enhanced Nutrient Removal standards. The plant cannot meet its permit limits and has had several occurrences of significant non-compliance.
The town recently entered into a Consent Order with MDE. This project will serve the Town of Grantsville as well as surrounding areas of Garrett County and will reduce nutrient pollution discharged to the Youghiogheny River. This project will be designed 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.
Federalsburg Old Denton Road Water Main project
Grants totaling $638,350 – a $319,175 Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund loan and a $319,175 grant in the form of forgiveness of a Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund loan – will help the Town of Federalsburg fund the replacement of a failing asbestos cement pipe for water service. The existing pipe is over 50 years old and has had several water main breaks in recent years.
The replacement is to prevent health issues to the consumers and workers and provide a secured, uninterrupted water supply to the town’s service area. This project, as with the WWTP upgrade 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.
SOURCE: Maryland Department of the Environment
