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Did you know that just about all septic systems will eventually become clogged and need to be replaced? What if there was technology that prevents and sometimes even reverses clogging in septic systems, extending the life of the system and protecting your investment? What if the same technology reduced the discharge of nitrogen from your septic system to the environment thereby improving the quality of both ground and surface water. What if you were eligible for a grant that would pay 100% of the purchase, installation, electrical connection costs, and the first five (5) years of an operation and maintenance contract to upgrade your system? Are you interested? The Bay Restoration Fund (BRF) pays for grants to homeowners to upgrade septic systems. To date over 150 property owners from Garrett to Worcester Counties and all points in between, have upgraded their septic system. We need you to upgrade your system!
Twenty percent of property owners in Maryland rely on a septic system for wastewater treatment. The average person using a septic system delivers about 9.5 lbs of nitrogen per year to the groundwater. If you live on one of the over 51,000 properties in the Critical Area, the land within 1000 feet of tidal waters, and are served by a septic system, approximately 80 percent of the nitrogen from your septic system would reach surface waters. That is over one million pounds per year. You might be thinking, “I don’t live anywhere near the Bay, what does that have to do with my system?” The truth is you don’t have to have waterfront property for your septic system to have an impact. All septic systems discharge nitrogen to groundwater. While some of this groundwater is consumed as drinking water, much of this groundwater is discharged to surface waters. This means that all septic systems are contributors of nitrogen to our local watersheds. It’s not just a Bay issue; it’s a Maryland issue.
Most of the nitrogen in septic tank effluent moves with the groundwater and ultimately discharges to surface waters. Septic systems have been designed to remediate most public health threats and throughout their regulated history in Maryland the unsung Environmental Sanitarian heroes of the local Health Departments and Environmental Protection Programs have done a great job in ensuring the citizens of Maryland have safe drinking water, adequate septic systems, and clean streams. No matter how well the septic systems may have been constructed they were never designed to reduce nitrogen discharged.
The Maryland Department of the Environment has three project managers to assist property owners to get grants. The first step is filling out an application. Please call MDE at (410) 537-4195 or toll free at 1-800-633-6101 for an application. If you live in a county that is managing the grants, your information will be forwarded to the local grant administrators. If you live in a county where MDE manages the grant you will receive a letter with a request that you obtain three bids for a system and installation. The letter has contact information for each eligible vendor and the Department can provide you with lists of previous installers in your county. Once your bids are accepted the Department declares an award amount you will receive final documents for payment. After we confirm your system is upgraded and receive your final paperwork we will review the work to make sure it is complete and you will then be reimbursed for your costs. The entire process, from application submission to receiving your check, can take less than 60 days to complete.
Participation in this program is voluntary, priority is given to failing septic systems within the Critical Area. As of this printing we have been able to fund all property owners that have applied. Since demand is continually increasing do not miss this opportunity to get your grant! Upgrading your septic system provides you with the peace of mind in knowing that you have reduced your nitrogen footprint on all of Maryland’s waterways and improved the lifespan of your septic system. For more information please call a Project Manager at any of the numbers listed previously. We look forward to assisting you in doing your part in restoring Maryland’s watersheds.
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