Patti S. Borda
Frederick News-Post

(7/26) The $3.7 million worth of good news had not officially reached Mayor Martin Burns’ ears Thursday, but he was pleased that the state’s Department of the Environment announced that his town will get that much for a new sewer line.

Thurmont’s project was one of 14 around the state that the Maryland Board of Public Works approved to receive a total of $65 million in grants and loans, according to a news release from the Maryland Department of the Environment. The awards go to projects that will upgrade sewage treatment plants, improve drinking water systems and prevent sewage overflows.

Burns said his town has been very successful in recent years applying for grants to do important projects such as its state-mandated sewer plant upgrade, which received about $6 million, and now the sewer line replacement along Water Street.

"The line is extremely old," he said.

Water Street needs to be paved, and the town set aside money to do that, but did not want to pave it and then have to tear it up to replace the sewer. The grant makes it possible to do both.

"It’s perfect timing," Burns said. "It enables us to do more; bigger scope."

According to the release, Thurmont will get $2,815,000 from the Water Quality State Revolving Loan Fund and an $876,873 grant from the Chesapeake Bay Water Quality Project Funds Supplemental Assistance Program.

The project is intended to remove major sources of infiltration and inflow in the wastewater collection system and to prevent sewer backups. The project will ultimately improve operations at the town’s wastewater treatment plant.

The public works board, composed of Gov. Martin O’Malley, Treasurer Nancy K. Kopp and Comptroller Peter Franchot, approved funding for 13 other projects.

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