A $54 million plan to update Delaware’s wastewater management systems was approved by the EPA on Tuesday.
Projects under the approved plan will receive funds to eliminate failing septic systems and upgrading wastewater treatment plants in Lewes, Seaford and the Angola North region in Sussex County.
EPA Mid-Atlantic Administrator Shawn Garvin says that it’s critical to update sewage treatment facilities with the latest technologies to ensure the best for public health and the environment.
“Our ability to make sure our wastewater treatment plants are close to the state of the art as possible is really helping really what our mission as an agency is, which is to protect human health and the environment,” said Garvin.
$6.7 million will fund a project to remove a failing septic system and update wastewater filtering infrastructures in the Angola North region. Failing septic systems can release bacteria, viruses and chemicals that are toxic to local waterways and harm wildlife.
The city of Seaford will get $2.01 million to install a ground mounted solar array to offset emissions from the city’s treatment plant, which will reduce the facility’s greenhouse gas emission.
Garvin says improvements like the one planned for Seaford are expected to produce economic, as well as environmental benefits.
“This potentially helps ratepayer costs through energy savings as well as providing additional funds to put back into the plant to address other issues and help reduce the need to use fossil fuels in addressing climate change,” said Garvin.
Additionally, city of Lewes will receive a total of $3.09 million to update the Highland Acres and Savannah Place wastewater collection systems
The EPA has contributed $6.8 million to the $54 million plan from the its Clean Water State Revolving Fund.
These projects will start between 2015 and 2016.
