4 Md. areas share in $462M from USDA for water improvements

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Four Maryland jurisdictions will share in $462 million awarded Monday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to modernize critical drinking water and wastewater infrastructure across rural America.

The town of Westernport received $595,000 in a loan to fund the relining of its existing sanitary sewer collection line along Lincoln Drive. The relining of the pipes will repair the fractures, cracks and disconnected and/or uneven joints and will eliminate surface water intrusion in the system which causes contamination and is a public safety concern. The system serves a population of 1,888 people.

The town of Port Deposit received a $245,000 loan and $572,00 in a grant to construct a storm drainage system to control flooding around Race Street, Granite Avenue and Rock Run Road. The investment is needed due to the lack of existing infrastructure needed to prevent or reduce storm-water from encroaching onto the affected properties and into dwellings during storm events.

Additionally, the paved surfaces of Granite Avenue have been compromised over time from frost and flooding. The population served is 653 and includes Port Deposit, Cecil County, Maryland.

Dorchester County Sanitary District Inc. will use a $65,000 grant and $732,000 in grants to upgrade the existing water treatment system in the Bonnie Brook subdivision in the area of Linkwood. This project will provide for modernization of equipment in order to address a health and sanitary standard to protect public drinking water. This is additional funding for increased project. Rural Development provided $325,000 in loan funds and $366,000 in grant funds for this project previously.

Talbot County received $350,000 in loans and $1.05 million to improve the St. Michaels wastewater collection system. The project will expand on the initial construction area to continue to replace part of the sewer collection system and rehabilitate sections of the sewer system where the structural integrity of the pipe remains in St. Michaels.

These improvements will reduce the inflow and infiltration the county is experiencing with the existing St. Michaels sewer system service area. A previous loan in the amount of $1.674 million and grant in the amount of $5.021 million had been obligated.