As a result of significant problems at Baltimore City’s Back River sewage treatment plant, in March MDE ordered the Maryland Environmental Service to take over management of the plant. It also required MES to issue a report concerning what they found. The report found major infrastructure failures as well as problems with safety, management, and staffing.
Following the release of the report, Chesapeake Bay Foundation Maryland Executive Director Josh Kurtz issued this statement.
“The multiple, catastrophic failures documented in this report show an immense disregard for the health of nearby residents, fish and crabs in Back River, and the health of the Bay.
“The Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint, designed to restore the Bay, relies heavily on pollution being reduced from sewage treatment plants. The failures at both the Back River treatment plant, Maryland’s largest, as well as the Patapsco plant, severely undermine the Blueprint.
“Kudos to Bluewater Baltimore for its vigilance, which brought these problems to light.
“It is essential that the public know what governments are doing, or not doing. That MDE required MES to step in to begin to solve the problem and provided transparency by releasing this report, are important steps in maintaining public trust.”
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