On March 27, 2022, Maryland Environment Secretary Ben Grumbles directed the Maryland Environmental Service (MES) to take charge of operations at Baltimore City’s Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP).
Secretary Grumbles directed MES to oversee the operation, maintenance and improvements of the plant, the largest in the state, to ensure that Baltimore City meets objectives that include protecting public and environmental health. The directive specifies that MES shall take action to ensure that the city operates the plant in compliance with all terms of its discharge permit and ceases all illegal discharges from the Back River WWTP.
The directive was issued after Baltimore City failed to comply with a previous order from Secretary Grumbles to immediately end illegal discharges of water pollution at the plant and demonstrate that it has come into compliance with all Clean Water Act permit conditions. That order was issued March 24 following a Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) inspection two days earlier that “revealed the precipitous decline of the functioning of several critical processes at the Plant in comparison with prior inspections.” The directive states that MDE “has determined that the decline in the proper maintenance and operation of the Plant risks catastrophic failures at the Plant that may result in environmental harm as well as adverse public health and comfort effects.”
On June 10, 2022, MDE and Baltimore City leadership reached an agreement that charts a course for continued progress at the Back River WWTP. A revised order, issued by MDE Secretary Horacio Tablada and consented to by Baltimore City, requires the city to cooperate with MES in order to prevent or correct water pollution and ensure the Back River facility is operated in a manner that will protect public health. MDE also issued a revised directive that clarifies that MES will perform activities and projects necessary to support the city in abating pollution and making necessary improvements at the facility.
Due to continued noncompliance, MDE is currently pursuing similar agreements with the city for the Patapsco WWTP to ensure that both facilities have a clear path to achieving compliance with their permit limitations.
Earlier in 2022, MDE filed suit against the city seeking civil penalties and an order requiring the city to take all steps necessary for the city’s Back River and Patapsco treatment plants to come into permanent and consistent compliance with environmental law. During MDE inspections last June, September and December at the Back River plant, and as a result of reviewing information and materials submitted by Baltimore City before and after the inspections, MDE observed extensive violations of the plant’s discharge permit, the suit filed in January states. That case is pending.
- Public health advisory and progress report issued for Back River
- April 20, 2022 statement
- April 15, 2022 statement
- Press release for March 27, 2022 directive
March 27, 2022 directive - Press release for March 24, 2022 order
March 24, 2022 order - March 4, 2022 MDE letter to Baltimore City
Attachment to March 4, 2022 letter - Press release for January 21, 2022 filing of lawsuit
January 21, 2022 lawsuit - Secretary Grumbles October 14, 2021 letter to Mayor Scott
- Baltimore City strategic plan sent to MDE
- MDE August 23, 2021 letter to DPW
- Back River WWTP discharge permit
Progress reports
- March 31, 2023 progress report
- February 6, 2023 progress report
- December 19, 2022 progress report
- November 21, 2022 progress report
- October 14, 2022 progress report
- September 30, 2022 progress report
- September 16, 2022 progress report
- August 19, 2022 progress report
- August 5, 2022 progress report
- July 22, 2022 progress report
- July 8, 2022 progress report
- June 27, 2022 progress report
- June 10, 2022 progress report
- June 6, 2022 third party engineering report
- June 6, 2022 third party engineering report appendicies
- May 27, 2022 progress report
- May 14, 2022 progress report
- April 28, 2022 progress report
Sampling results
- Results through October 12, 2022
- Results through September 28, 2022
- Results through September 14, 2022
- Results through August 17, 2022
- Results through July 27, 2022
- Results through July 6, 2022
- Results through June 22, 2022
- Results through May 24, 2022
- Summary of April 19, April 27, May 4 and May 9 field sampling results
- May 9 field sampling
- Summary of April 19, April 27 and May 4, 2022 field sampling results
- May 4, 2022 field sampling
- April 27, 2022 field sampling
- April 19, 2022 Back River sampling map
- April 19, 2022 field sampling
- April 20, 2022 bacteria sampling lab results
- Back River WWTP data
Recent inspection reports
- March 16, 2023, photos
- March 15, 2023, photos
- February 24, 2023
- January 26, 2023
- December 14, 2022
- September 27, 2022
- August 16, 2022
- July 14, 2022
- June 2, 2022
- April 22, 2022
- April 16, 2022
- March 26, 2022
- March 22, 2022
- March 18, 2022, photos, fish kill investigation
- December 29, 2021
- October 20, 2021
- September 20, 2021
- June 16, 2021
- June 16, 2021 (industrial stormwater)