Cecil County Government: County Officially Marks Completion Of New Port Deposit Wastewater Treatment Plant

Press release from Cecil County Government:

11/16/2021

County Officially Marks Completion of New Port Deposit Wastewater Treatment Plant

Elkton, MD: Today, Cecil County Executive Danielle Hornberger, Council President Bob Meffley, and other officials formally cut the ribbon on the County’s new Port Deposit Wastewater Treatment Plant.

The new plant replaces one that had been built in the early 1980’s and employs membrane bioreactor technology to remove significantly more nutrients (primarily nitrogen and phosphorous) from the wastewater before the treated water is discharged to the Susquehanna River. The overall cost of the project was $10,536,786, of which 72% was Bay Restoration Fund grant funding from the Maryland Department of the Environment. The balance was funded using County bond funding.

“With its state-of-the-art technology and ability to be expanded, the new Port Deposit Wastewater Treatment Plant is integral to the future of the Town of Port Deposit,” said County Executive Danielle Hornberger. “I would like to recognize the Maryland Department of the Environment for the grant funding assistance, and to offer my thanks and congratulations to everyone who helped make this day possible.”

The project constructed a new Enhanced Nutrient Removal (ENR) treatment plant with a capacity of 150,000 Gallons Per Day (GPD). Unlike the old plant, which was situated on the banks of the Susquehanna River, the new treatment plant is located outside of the Susquehanna River’s flood plain, where Route 222 becomes Main Street. The new plant can be expanded to 250,000 GPD if necessary to support future growth within its service area, which includes the former Bainbridge Naval Training Center.

“The old Port Deposit Wastewater Treatment Plant served the Town of Port Deposit and Cecil County very well for several decades, but needed to be replaced,” said Scott Flanigan, County Director of Public Works. “As an ENR-level plant, the new plant will treat the wastewater to a much higher level than the old plant, thereby helping to improve water quality in the Susquehanna River and Chesapeake Bay watershed.” 

The new plant was constructed by American Contracting & Environmental Services, Inc. of Columbia, Maryland. Design was done by the engineering firm of KCI Technologies, Inc. The project was managed by Engineering & Construction Division of the Cecil County Department of Public Works. The consulting engineering firm of GHD, Inc. served as the County’s Owner’s Advisor and provided construction management and inspection services. On-site construction began in September 2019.

The treatment plant will be operated by the Wastewater Division of the Department of Public Works, which operates a total of five wastewater treatment plants serving different areas of the County. In addition to Port Deposit, those are the Northeast River, Meadowview, Harbourview, and Cherry Hill wastewater treatment plants.

The old Port Deposit wastewater treatment plant will be demolished, and the site graded and restored.

For media inquiries, please contact Kevin Alkinburg at kalkinburg@ccgov.org or 410-996-8454.

Cecil County Executive Danielle Hornberger, Council President Bob Meffley, and other officials cut the ribbon on the new Port Deposit Wastewater Treatment Plant.

This press release was produced by Cecil County Government. The views expressed here are the author’s own.