Published: April 08, 2008 09:24 am         

Sewer plan changes include upgrades

CUMBERLAND — Allegany County Public Works Department officials briefed the Planning Commission at its Monday work session on five proposed modifications to the master water and sewer plan adopted in September 2007.

Mark Yoder, utilities division chief, said one change included increasing the permit flow for the Georges Creek wastewater treatment plant from 0.6 million gallons per day to 0.7 million gallons per day. The plant, currently under construction for necessary upgrades, will be designed for the higher flow once work is completed, Yoder said.

A second change involves the planned Laurelhurst subdivision, which is to be served by public sewer. Residents there are to be served by the existing Barton Business Park sewage treatment plant while the developer is building a privately funded, dedicated line to the Celanese wastewater treatment plant. Once the line is built, Yoder said Laurelhurst will be served by that line.

Officials also want to increase the permit flow for the Celanese plant to 2 million gallons per day, up from the current 1.66 million-gallon rate. The plant is designed to handle 2.86 million gallons per day, Yoder said, and stretching its capacity — even with the increase from Laurelhurst, if approved — will not be an issue.

Two other issues came to light after residents complained to county officials about water pressure. Residents on Shades Lane near Naves Crossroad are served off a small line connected to the city of Cumberland’s system. Once the new water line is built — Yoder is in the process of applying for grant funding — the residents will become county water customers.

Residents on Christie Road near Country Club Road face much the same problem as those on Shades Lane. The county intends on solving the problem the same way. Both projects serve about 10 homes each and are not in anticipated high-growth areas, Yoder said.

Yoder said Maryland Department of the Environment officials have agreed with both ideas but need to see each concept in writing.

“We don’t expect that will be a problem,” Yoder said, but whether something’s in the master plan is “pretty much the first thing MDE looks at. If it’s not, that’s the end of the discussion.”

The changes are necessary to be eligible for grant funding. Three projects have been on the plan since its inception. Two others are to be added after being brought to the county’s attention when residents noted their concerns during recent public meetings.

Each proposal must clear the review process of the county commissioners, who will hold a public hearing in the near future, as well as the state Departments of the Environment and Planning.

State officials “asked that we come back with a couple of tweaks,” said Phil Hager, county planner.

The Planning Commission is expected to consider whether to recommend any or all five issues at its next business meeting at 7 p.m. April 16. The matter then will go to the county commissioners, who are required to hold a public hearing before voting on the modifications.

Contact Kevin Spradlin at kspradlin@times-news.com.