Septic Task Force

About

The petition process is the process residents use to request the extension of public sewer to their area. While DPW manages the design and construction of the required public infrastructure, residents reimburse DPW for the overall cost of the project through an annual assessment. A majority of property owners within the petition area must be in favor of paying the assessment for a project to move forward. Because of the costs, relatively few sewer petitions have moved forward in past years.

In 2008, the County completed studies that informed a strategy for converting septic systems to public sewer. Subsequent planning from 2012 estimated a cost of over $1.5 billion to convert 20,000 septic systems to public sewer in order to attain the pollutant level reduction outlined by the Maryland Department of the Environment at the time for septic systems.

Given the scope and magnitude of the program, the County initiated a Septic Task Force in 2017 to assist in the development and implementation of a septic to sewer conversion program. The Septic Task Force had four overall goals:

Mission

  • Develop a suite of recommendations that will inform decision-making
  • Identify near-term strategies to support effort
  • Identify long-term strategies and approaches
  • Identify areas requiring additional investigation for County staff

The Septic Task Force completed its work in 2018 with a summary of recommendations for the development of a septic connection program and for changes to the County’s petition process.

Members

Community Representatives

  • Jerry Pesterfield
    Heritage Harbor
  • Lloyd Lewis
    Mayo community
  • Jim Doyle
    Edgewater Beach community
  • Kate Fritz
    South River Federation
  • Sally Hornor
    AA Community College/Severn River
  • Jeff Holland
    West/Rhode Riverkeeper
  • Kincey Porter
    League of Conservation Voters
  • Eric Devito
    Stone Matteis Xenopoulos & Brew, PC
  • Eliot Powell
    Whitehall Development
  • Ben Weschler
    Linowes and Blocher LLP
  • Karen McJunkin
    Elm Street Development

Anne Arundel County Representatives

  • Chris Phipps
    Department of Public Works - Director
  • Erik Michelsen
    Department of Public Works - Watershed Protection and Restoration Program
  • Chris Murphy
    Department of Public Works - Engineering
  • George Heiner
    Department of Public Works - Engineering
  • Lynn Miller
    Office of Planning and Zoning - Planning Division
  • Kerry Topovski
    Department of Health - Sanitary Engineering
  • Karen Henry
    Department of Public Works - Assistant Director
  • LaKisha Giles
    Department of Public Works - Business & Financial Services

Materials

Final Reports

Anne Arundel County Septic Task Force Final Report - June 2018

Reference Materials

Anne Arundel County Phase 2 Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP)

2008 Anne Arundel County Septic (OSDS) Strategic Plan

Appendix A

Appendix B

Appendix C

Appendix D