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Commissioners add Marling Farms/Dominion area to county water and sewer plan to address septic pollution risks
Summary
Queen Anne's County added the Marling Farms/Dominion Sewer Service map to the comprehensive water and sewer plan, a step meant to enable future sewer extensions and public‑health exemptions; ShoreRivers had sent a letter urging prioritization of septic‑to‑sewer conversions to protect waterways.
The county commissioners voted on June 9 to include the Marling Farms/Dominion sewer service area map in the 2011 Comprehensive Water and Sewer Plan. Staff described the action as a necessary first step to allow future public sewer extensions and to enable a potential public‑health exemption from the smart growth coordinating committee.
A letter from Annie Richards, Chester Riverkeeper at ShoreRivers, was read into the record expressing strong support for Amendment 1127 to the county Water & Sewer Plan. The letter called out septic pollution as a growing threat—citing aging septic systems, rising groundwater, saltwater intrusion, and development pressure—and urged prioritizing sewer allocation to connect impaired septic systems to advanced wastewater treatment to reduce nutrient loading to the Chester River and other tributaries.
The motion to approve placing the service map into the plan was seconded and carried by voice vote. The action does not itself fund construction; rather, it allows the project to be eligible for subsequent permitting, grant applications, and, where applicable, a public‑health exemption for priority sewer allocation.
