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Experts warn aging plants and 64 CSOs remain a constraint on Bay progress; technology and funding offer partial relief
Summary
EPA Region 3 and state officials briefed the Commission on combined sewer overflow challenges (64 CSOs cited), aging plants, workforce shortages, and opportunities from smart technologies and green infrastructure.
Michelle Price-Fay, Director of EPA Region 3’s Water Division, opened the wastewater session by noting that 64 combined sewer overflow systems were identified in the Bay TMDL and that overflow volumes and pollutant content vary with catchment size and system design. She described regulatory partnerships with states and highlighted workforce shortages, aging infrastructure, and funding shortfalls as principal barriers to improved CSO performance.
Lee Currey (Maryland Department of the Environment) emphasized that Maryland’s Bay Restoration Fund has been central to past nitrogen reductions but warned many plants are approaching the end of their functional lifespans and will require additional capital and maintenance to sustain nutrient reductions. The panel recommended a mix of green infrastructure, advanced treatment, and digital monitoring to improve resiliency while acknowledging limited funding streams.
