Trappe council to request MDE approval to accept treated effluent from Lakeside WWTP

The Trappe Town Council voted on Aug. 7 to request Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) approval to accept treated effluent from the Lakeside Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) into the Town’s lagoon.

Town Attorney Lyndsey Ryan and Superintendent Steve Callahan told the council that Lakeside is in a start‑up phase and cannot spray discharge while they work to meet permit limits. Lakeside has been trucking treated effluent to Hurlock for further processing; the developer asked Trappe to accept effluent at the town plant. The amount of treated effluent described by staff is less than the facility’s permitted 30,000 gallons per day that Lakeside may send to Trappe.

Ryan said MDE approval is required whether the effluent is received directly into Trappe’s lagoon or routed through Lakeside’s pumping station into Trappe’s plant. After discussing flow‑control options and operations with engineering staff, Commissioner Michael Sullivan moved and Commissioner Walter Chase seconded a motion directing the town to send a letter to MDE requesting approval to accept the treated effluent so Trappe could maintain control over incoming flows. The motion passed unanimously.

Next step: the town will prepare and send the letter to MDE and follow guidance from MDE on the approved process for interconnection or direct acceptance.