DNREC and the Kent Conservation District make grants available to Kent County homeowners in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed for septic tank pump outs.
The grants are for those who want to have their residential septic tanks pumped out.
In total, there is more than $68,000 in grant funding available - enough to pump out roughly 300 Kent County residential septic systems.
Funding comes from a Chesapeake Implementation Grant through the DNREC Nonpoint Source Program -- in partnership with the Kent Conservation District, which is administering the program.
Dr. Holly Walker is DNREC’s Chesapeake Bay Watershed Coordinator. She says this is important routine maintenance.
"One of the main reasons we're concerned with this is that it can actually cause surface water contamination,” said Walker. So we wanted to focus funds through the grant to help reduce potential contamination, but also to extend the life of a lot of these types of disposal systems. So as part of the grant we're helping to find partially the septic pump outs so that's up to $200 in grant funds for those who qualify."
The homeowner must live in the home to qualify for the funding. The home also has to be within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
Walker says not getting the septic tanks pumped out can cause many issues.
"It can damage the system itself leading to needing a full replacement sooner rather than later which can be quite overwhelming in terms of cost, and what needs to be done. The other side of it is as we're seeing more flooding events, more rainwater events there's definitely this concern for contamination of surface water and just in general pollution to our local waterways," said Walker.
The pump-out project runs through June 30, 2024, or as long as the funding lasts. Grants are available on a first come, first served basis. Applications are available at the Kent Conservation District website, kentcd.org.
For more information you can also call the Kent Conservation District at 302-608-5370.
