The spray irrigation sewage system proposed for the Lakeside development has a terrible track record nationally. Such systems are notorious for spills, breakdowns and expensive repairs that bankrupt homeowner associations. Many times local governments are forced to take over, fix and run these systems at great and unbudgeted taxpayer expense.
Just look at “The Preserve at Wye Mills.” I testified at that MDE hearing about this subject in great detail and it fell on deaf ears. Well look what happened: the sewage system failed exactly as we predicted it would. The County Engineer calls the situation “A continuing nightmare.” Now Talbot County is left holding the bag while the developer is long gone. Who could have foreseen this? We, who did a little research could, that’s who.
Spray irrigation is a lousy excuse for a sewage system. You’re just asking for trouble to rely on it for this mega-development with 350 times the sewage of the Preserve at Wye Mills. Lakeside must not go forward with this doomed sewage system.
Stephen W. Fye says
Exactly my fear: “Such systems are notorious for spills, breakdowns and expensive repairs that bankrupt homeowner associations.”.
Rebecca Ellison says
On June 22nd, Talbot County actually did take over the responsibility for a ‘rescue’ of the failed spray irrigation WWTP at the Preserve at Wye Mills.
Click here for the text of Resolution 301 – https://talbotcountymd.gov/uploads/File/council/Res.%20301%20(CWSP%20Amendment%20-%20The%20Preserve%20at%20Wye%20Mills%20-%20March%202021)%20As%20Enacted%20and%20Enrolled.pdf
Spray irrigation systems CAN fail … and they HAVE failed in Talbot. One failed at Martingham as well as at the Preserve at Wye Mills. In the case of the Preserve, the system failed and the developer disappeared (not sure which happened first). The Preserve’s Homeowner Association was left with the ongoing pollution and no financial ability to fix or replace their system. They have had no choice but to plead with the County to take over and replace their failed spray wastewater system and the County has done that in the form of Resolution 301 on June 22nd just this year.
The Preserve is a small development, only 57 developed lots and 20,100 gallons per day effluent to spray. The Trappe East development creates an entirely new municipality of 2,501 houses and 550,000 sq. ft. of retail (with 540,000 gallons per day of effluent to spray).
The owner of the Trappe East development has already stated that he will turn ownership and operation of the Trappe East WWTP and associated spray irrigation system over to the Town of Trappe. It’s no secret that Trappe is financially strapped … and it is now revealed that its present WWTP actively pollutes Trappe Creek more each day. How long will it take for the Trappe East wastewater treatment system to fail or ‘age out and seriously pollute Miles Creek … and in the process becoming yet another problem for the County to take over and fix? Trappe Creek and Miles Creek both flow into the already impaired and worsening Choptank River. We in the County wonder … when does Trappe stop being free to have such decision-making power over the rest of the County? What makes it OK for Trappe to inflict all the infrastructure chaos as well as an ecological disaster on the rest of the county?
The only sensible answer is to not build this new metropolis in the first place. Our waterways can’t take it … neither can our infrastructure. With the addition of 2,500 homes, and possibly 6,000 people, the Trappe East metropolis will be the size of nine Oxfords (pop. 651) or nearly six St. Michaels (pop. 1,029). That large a project will bring a lot of commotion as well as wastewater to Talbot County. It clearly is not what the County residents want (or can afford) nor is it what the County Comprehensive Plan allows.
Please help MDE understand the consequences of a failed spray irrigation system of this magnitude in this location … and why they should decide, based on the FACTS, DENY this permit to Trappe and the Trappe East owners.
Michael Davis says
When it bankrupts the HOA, the EPA or some other group will rightfully and legally demand a clean-up. But the developer will be long gone as well as the government representatives who voled to allow this. Talbot County will still be here and the taxpayers will be stuck with the bill. The developer wants a government handout. Don’t give it to them.
Jay Corvan says
Exactly. The county is currently trying to figure out how to solve the preserve at wye mills debacle . To create a new situation exactly equal to what happed at wye mills but 350 times bigger defies logic, something is rotten in Denmark, and also in Trappe. Isn’t this the definition of insanity, doing the same crazy thing and expecting a different result?
There is no way MDE should be allowed to certify these systems. They have thoroughly demonstrated their incompetence in this regard. New independent environmental engineering analysis have demonstrated serious glitches in the procedures MDE uses in calculating nutrient absorption. We should make sure this project is scrapped and defunded.
Eva M. Smorzaniuk, M.D. says
My thanks to all the Talbot County residents who have been vigilant in exposing this developing environmental disaster. The history of failed HOA septic systems in our county is well documented and, ultimately, results in publicly funded bail-outs. It’s time for all Talbot County taxpayers to demand that Trappe Town Council, Talbot County Council, and MDE either abandon the Lakeside development, or require a multi-million dollar bond from developers to cover consequences of waste water management failures.