Wastewater Treatment and Stormwater Management Assessment
A. Greater Waverly Area
The Greater Waverly area is served by the 15 MGD Big Pond WWTP. Residential development contributes 11.2 MGD, and 1.8 MGD is attributed to the commercial and industrial developed lands. Wastewater flow has exceeded its permitted nutrient discharge limit and the county has applied for a permit increase to full capacity at 15 MGD in conjunction with an ENR upgrade. There is a new construction permit moratorium in place at this time due to plant capacity issues. By reducing nutrient loading, an ENR upgrade will allow for the moratorium to be removed and allow immediate growth plans to continue.
Buildout of the entire Waverly growth area will require the WWTP to expand to 18 MGD. With the growth area fully developed, it is expected that the nutrient capacity for Coastmont River will be exceeded, and a study will be initiated to determine the feasibility of a spray irrigation system to divert effluent from the surface water outfall. The county’s water resources element recommendation is to introduce a policy to require community wastewater systems instead of septic tanks where possible for new growth in unserved areas in order to reduce new nonpoint source pollution.
B. Town of Forestville
The town of Forestville WWTP is a four MGD activated sludge BNR plant that uses a spray irrigation discharge method on county-owned land located east of Forestville. This plant is currently permitted for three MGD and its current total flows are 2.23 MGD. The town does not surface discharge any wastewater to Thistle Creek, but it does impact the creek from the urban nonpoint sources, as do agricultural activities within its drainage basin.
C. Town of Piedmont
The town of Piedmont sends its wastewater to the Jones Creek WWTP. This treatment plant is a 0.8 MGD facility that is currently permitted to discharge 0.6 MGD, and current flows to the plant of 0.6 MGD do not permit any new connections. To help avoid future capacity issues, the town has developed a capacity management plan for its WWTP. The discharge is to Jones Creek, a tributary of the Coastmont River, and TMDL limits for fecal coliform, nitrogen and phosphorus are being exceeded. A capital project to add ENR technology to the existing plant will help toward reaching the TMDL, but the permit moratorium will not be lifted until an ample water supply is secured and WWTP expansion is complete.
Permitting discussion is ongoing with MDE to determine expansion of the treatment plant from 0.8 MGD to 1.2 MGD to meet the town’s projected growth. Alternative measures including offsets will be required. These measures will include the connection of existing septic systems that will be annexed into the town, cluster development and the creation of forested lands, stream buffering and stormwater management BMPs. However, offsets for nutrient loading cannot be calculated until the state finalizes its nutrient offset policy. The town is also working with the county to identify spray irrigation sites that could divert a portion of the wastewater discharge.
Note: This diversion was not used in any of the land use plan analyses when comparing nutrient loading changes.
Jones Creek is also threatened by inadequate stormwater management that has caused significant bank erosion and siltation resulting in impaired stream habitat. The Maryland Biological Stream Survey (MBSS) confirms that Jones Creek is impaired biologically and is classified as poor for benthic and fish habitat. The town is currently adopting new stormwater legislation to minimize future stream bank degradation, and the county is working with the town to retrofit existing storm drains with retention ponds and provide primary treatment prior to discharge. Community organizations are assisting landowners whose properties front Jones Creek with riparian buffer enhancements.
Tides Creek does not have any point source loading influences, but it has been impaired by urban runoff from the county’s most populated area and agricultural areas to the west and north of Waverly. The upper reaches of this creek drain a large farming area. The Coastmont County Comprehensive Plan recommends that Jones Creek and Tides Creek be restored and protected to ensure sustainability for the natural habitats that they support. In addition to implementing many new stormwater best management practices, or BMPs, the county is also implementing low impact development (LID) design criteria to promote a resource conservation approach for all new development, promoting the idea that minimal disturbance requires minimal maintenance.
1. Waverly flows include the county flows
2. All flows include residential, commercial and industrial connections
3. All improved lots in the towns of Forestville and Piedmont are served with both public water and sewer.
