Department of the Environment Reporting and Public Notification

Department of the Environment Reporting and Public Notification Regarding Sewage Overflows or Bypasses in Maryland Testimony to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment Regarding The Raw Sewage Overflow Community Right to Know Act October 16, 2007 Robert M. Summers, Ph. D. , Deputy Secretary Maryland Department of the Environment

Sewage overflows are a significant public health and environmental concern • Pathogens (viruses, bacteria, protozoans) • Suspended solids • Oxygen demanding substances • Nutrients • Toxic constituents • Floatable materials

Significant impacts on receiving waters • Contamination of drinking water supplies • Closure to fishing and swimming • Fish kills • Water quality degradation • Ancillary degradation of parks, playgrounds, and other public use areas near affected streams

Benefits of reporting and public notification • Advisories protect the public from contact with impaired waters. • Ensures that local health officials are aware of potential public health impacts • Decreases inquiries from the media and public • Builds public support for infrastructure improvements • Increases the likelihood of timely response by owners • Improves analysis of overflow impacts (root cause, water quality assessments, capital cost benefit)

Maryland’s Actions • Initiation of reporting requirements, in cooperation with local health departments and public works officials (October, 2000) • Governor’s Task Force on Upgrading Sewerage Systems (December, 2000) – Cost and financing of necessary repairs – Public education • Maryland legislation (April, 2001) – Reporting and public notification requirement

Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSOs) • Since initiation of record keeping in 2001, total of 11, 120 spill reports estimated at 2. 7 billion gallons spilled – 1. 9 billion gallons of CSO – 0. 8 billion gallons of SSO • Average of approximately 381 million gallons per year – 270 million gallons of CSO – 114 million gallons of SSO

Maryland Department of the Environment CSO/SSO Spill reports available online at: http: //www. mde. state. md. us/Programs/Water. Programs/cso_sso. asp 1800 Washington Boulevard | Baltimore, MD 21230 -1718 410 -537 -3000 | TTY Users: 1 -800 -735 -2258 www. mde. state. md. us