When residents of Cambridge look out onto Water Street they are seeing more than just water. Residents along the Choptank river scenic way have spied bits of toilet paper and discolored effluent flowing out whenever the rains bring the street to flood levels.
Recent wastewater overflow in Cambridge has increasingly raised concerns about aging infrastructure and environmental safety after countless gallons of untreated sewage spilled from mixed with stormwater draining onto Water Street and the surrounding areas.
Ward 1 Commissioner Brett Summers says he’s seen this recurring problem ever since he moved here over 25 years ago.
The city does warn residents and places signs in the affected area each time sewer water overflows, but it is still affecting the community and the environment around the Choptank waterways, and the state of Maryland is urging Cambridge to get this problem under control.
City manager Glenn Steckman says the sewage water overflow is mainly caused by the Trenton Street pump station becoming overwhelmed with the amount of combined rainwater and sewage water that needs to be pumped to the water treatment plant, causing the turgid water to backup.
In what Steckman called a major step to resolve the overflows, city officials recently signed off on a $6.4 Million contract to replace the aging Trenton Street pump station. The general contractor for this project is Retallack & Sons, Inc. of Talbot County. Steckman says the project should take around 15 months to complete.
Both Steckman and Summers explained that, after the pump station is replaced, the next phase required is to place a lining in the wastewater interceptor pipes, which extend three miles and have multiple cracks in them.
The city will be lining the pipes rather than replacing them to avoid cracks in the future, therefore preventing any ground water from seeping into the treatment system.
Then, workers will disconnect the wastewater lines from the ground water lines to avoid overwhelming the new pump station and stop the overflow of sewage water.
The city has submitted a grant application to the state of Maryland for the interceptor pipes and disconnection of the two lines and are confident it will be awarded.
Another concern for residents has been that each time the wastewater overflows, the city violates EPA regulations and is supposed to pay a fine ranging anywhere from $1,000 to $32,000 each day it overflows. Steckman states “during my tenure, we have not had to pay any fines.” He did not explain why.
There is also a question of how this will affect residents of Cambridge economically, if at all. Steckman says “the city was able to secure a 1.5% interest rate for the loans needed for the pump station. On the immediate basis, we do not see an increase in wastewater rates for at least the next two years.”
Summers reassures Cambridge residents that “the city staff is aware of this issue and are working on it.”