County says cold weather led to wastewater processing issues
Last year’s deep freeze has come back to haunt Ocean Pines in the form of a six-figure state wastewater bill.
The county owes $275,940 in Bay Restoration Fees after going two quarters without collecting the state’s $15 quarterly “flush tax” from Ocean Pines wastewater customers.
Worcester County officials have postponed a decision about whether to pay that bill from the district’s reserves – or pass the cost directly on to customers.
Commissioners voted 4–3 Tuesday to wait until Oct. 6 for a recommendation from the Ocean Pines Water and Sewer Advisory Council on how to cover the bill.
The problem dates to early 2025, when months of bitter cold weather chilled wastewater inside the treatment tanks to an average of about 50 degrees. The plant is designed to operate at no less than 54 degrees.
At those temperatures, the bacteria fell dormant and could not remove enough nitrogen. As a result, nitrogen levels rose above the state’s cutoff, costing Ocean Pines its exemption from the fee.
Since then, county officials have pursued an appeal on multiple fronts with the Maryland Department of the Environment, according to County Administrator Weston Young.