Berlin Sewer Work Slightly Behind

BERLIN
- One year after starting work on the long-awaited Berlin wastewater treatment
plant expansion and improvements at the existing plant site in eastern Berlin,
construction is only a few days off schedule.

'They
are probably around 12 to 14 days behind on the wastewater treatment plant
which is not bad considering the winter we had,' said Berlin Administrator Tony
Carson this week.

Work
had been behind about 20 days as of last month, so crews have made up work, he
noted.

'We're
looking at probably a January 2011 completion,' said Carson.

The
work is about two-thirds complete.

'I'm
very happy with the progress they made,' said Carson.

The
expanded and revamped plant will offer more wastewater capacity that should
take care of future growth for at least two decades, and will improve nutrient
removal, allowing cleaner effluent to be discharged after treatment.

'We'll
be really thankful when it's all done,' said Jane Kreiter, Berlin Water
Resources director.

The
massive project is being funded by a combination of loans and grants through
the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds. Money will come from the U.
S. Department of Agriculture, as well as the Maryland Department of the
Environment, and the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development.

Berlin
Mayor Gee Williams called for a tour of the wastewater plant site on August 23,
before the scheduled Berlin Town Council meeting. The tour will be open to the
public.

There
is nothing like seeing the project on the ground, not just in designs and
pictures, he said.

Work
on the existing spray site lagoon liner began this month with the removal of
the old liner. Crews could begin working on the replacement liner by the middle
of the month, with the work projected to be finished in January 2011.

That

work was initially delayed by all the bad weather over the winter and spring.

The new spray irrigation site near Newark, which

should meet Worcester County's requirement that Berlin move entirely to spray
irrigation to handle its treated wastewater instead of discharging to a local
creek which leads to the Coastal Bays, is in the design phase. Work should
begin there in fall 2011 and be completed summer 2012.