June 20, 2019
Media Contact:
Scott Peterson, Director of Communications, Office of Public Information, 202-277-9412
ELLICOTT CITY – Today, County Executive Calvin Ball announced that Howard County has been awarded $1,818,450, dispersed over several years, through the Clean Water Commerce Act Grant from the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE). The grant will be used for the Little Patuxent Water Reclamation Plant Advanced Process Instrumentation and Control System (APICS) project, to protect the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. For the first year of the grant, Howard County Department of Public Works has requested budget authority for $750,000.
The Little Patuxent Water Reclamation Plant works to treat Howard County wastewater before it is released into the watershed, decreasing excess nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus which negatively impact plant and animal life in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. The Department of Public Works, Bureau of Utilities will use the grant funds to develop and implement strategies for further nitrogen and phosphorus reductions, to help restore the essential Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
“I remain committed to ensuring Howard County is a leader on environmental progress and our dedicated employees work hard every day to keep our watershed clean. I want to thank the Governor and the Maryland Department of the Environment for this grant, as well as the Howard County Department of Public Works for their efforts to guard our fragile ecosystem,” said Ball. “Our county makes up part of the 18 million people who live in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and we all depend on it for clean water and food. This grant helps ensure that we can all live healthier lives and better protect a treasured natural resource.”
“Along with stormwater, septics and agriculture, waste water treatment plants are a key source of nutrient pollution in the Chesapeake Bay,” said Joshua Feldmark, Director of the Howard County Office of Community Sustainability. “This grant allows Howard County to continue our practice of using every available tool in every sector to maximize our commitment to preserving and restoring the Bay.”
Find more information on Clean Water Commerce Act Grant here and more on the Little Patuxent Water Reclamation Plant here.