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Hampstead says $18.9 million in state-allocated EPA funds will cover most of new water-treatment project
Summary
Town officials said Hampstead secured $18.9 million in MDE-allocated EPA funds for a multi-site raw water main and four water-treatment-plant buildout; officials estimate project costs are substantially below earlier engineering estimates and expect work to begin in early 2026 with completion targeted for January 2028.
Hampstead officials told the Planning and Zoning Commission on Nov. 19 that the town has placed itself at the front of state review and secured the primary allocation of federal funds routed through the Maryland Department of the Environment to pay for a multi-contract program to replace raw-water mains and build four new water treatment plants.
Jim, the town's zoning administrator, said the town has $18,900,000 in funds from an EPA emerging-contaminants allocation that MDE has directed to Hampstead for this project. Town staff reported that Tasks 1 and 2 of the raw-water-main construction are complete and that Middle Atlantic Utilities has begun Task 3, covering Dakota Road, Panther Drive and Shiloh Road. The Shiloh Road alignment will extend past Hampstead Elementary to the site of the new treatment plant.
Officials said the council approved the remaining construction, inspection and equipment-procurement contracts needed to move forward; the zoning administrator said these were the last of six contracts necessary to build out the program. The town must submit the treatment-plant construction bid package to MDE for review and approval; if that process proceeds without issues, MDE review should be complete by the end of the year and earthwork would start in February or March.
Town staff discussed cost estimates. Jim said an earlier engineering estimate put the project near $33 million, but current accounting shows the town's likely construction costs around $20.5 million. He said the plan is to use the $18.9 million allocation first and then tap other financing sources for remaining needs; the record included an additional reference to another loan/grant vehicle, but the meeting transcript did not provide a reliable numeric amount for that second funding source.
Commissioners heard that construction sequencing will require bringing one new treatment plant online at a time; each plant's changeover and commissioning is expected to take roughly six months. The town estimates overall completion of the multi-plant program in January 2028. Officials credited early payment for design and engineering work, coordination by public works leadership and outside consultants, and a robust application package for positioning Hampstead as a primary recipient of the state-allocated funds.
The commission did not take formal action on the project at the Nov. 19 meeting. Town staff said they will return with final bids and the commission will hold hearings as needed once county and state approvals are complete.
