Maryland Board of Public Works Approves Funding for Clean Water and the Chesapeake Bay
Grants and loans fund second phase of Southern Kent Island sewage project to reduce water pollution, improvements to Carroll County’s stormwater system and upgrades to a drinking water system in Somerset County
BALTIMORE, MD – The Maryland Board of Public Works approved more than $9 million in funding 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. “Continued progress on the Southern Kent Island sewage project, reducing harmful stormwater runoff in Carroll County and upgrading a drinking water system in Somerset County will help us to green and grow the state’s economy and continue to be leaders on climate change and the Chesapeake Bay.”
The following projects were approved today:
Southern Kent Island Sanitary Project, Phase II – Queen Anne’s County
Funding of $8,362,172 — a $6,362,172 Maryland Water Quality State Revolving Loan Fund loan and a $2 million Bay Restoration Fund grant — to Queen Anne’s County will help fund the second phase of the Southern Kent Island Sanitary Project. The project includes designing and constructing a wastewater collection system to serve communities on the southern portion of Kent Island. A high groundwater table and poor soil conditions have led to groundwater contamination from the existing septic systems in the waterfront community. The construction of the wastewater collection system will connect to the Kent Narrows-Stevensville-Grasonville Wastewater Treatment Plant, an Enhanced Nutrient Removal facility, and will eliminate further groundwater contamination and provide public sewer to about 1,500 homes and eight non-residential properties. 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 was approved by the Board of Public Works in 2016 to help fund phase one of the project. The second phase focuses on the Tower Garden subdivision of about 200 homes. 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.
Deal Island Road Water Main Loop – Somerset County
Funding of $256,815 – a $128,407 Water Supply Financial Assistance grant, a $64,204 Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund and a $64,204 grant in the form of loan forgiveness of a Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund, all to the Somerset County Sanitary District – will help fund the replacement of a broken water line in the water distribution system serving the Town of Princess Anne. The project will improve water pressure and reliability of the pipe network serving the western side of town. 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.
Carroll County Stormwater Management Restoration – Carroll County
A $632,010 Bay Restoration Fund grant to Carroll County will help fund projects to reduce the impact of stormwater runoff in urban areas of Carroll County as part of the county’s efforts to improve water quality in local streams and the Chesapeake Bay and to comply with its municipal stormwater permit. The work consists of retrofitting or constructing stormwater management facilities and restoring streams. This board action is for the Trevanion Terrace contract, one of four contracts in the project. Previous Bay Restoration Fund grants of $1,758,983 have helped fund the work. 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.
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