August 28th, 2023
By Cecil County Government
08/25/2023 3:40 PM
Elkton, MD – In its ongoing effort to improve services to county residents, Cecil County Government will be assuming responsibility for well and septic services under a delegation agreement with the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), effective August 21, 2023. This change comes after several months of discussion with MDE and the Cecil County Health Department (CCHD). CCHD, which previously held the delegation agreement with MDE, has been experiencing a critical staffing shortage in its Division of Environmental Health Services since January 2022.
Under the new delegation agreement, these services will be under the supervision of the county director of Land Use and Development Services in its newly created Division of Water and Sewer Planning.
On June 6, 2023, the Cecil County Council authorized funding to support County Executive Danielle Hornberger’s initiative to place the On-Site Water and Sewerage program within a county department as part of the annual fiscal year appropriation. By Executive Order, County Executive Hornberger authorized the director of the Department of Land Use and Development Services (LUDS) to administer and enforce environmental laws in accordance with Md. Environment Code Ann. §1-301, as well as the creation of a new division within the department to assist the director in carrying out the responsibilities delegated from MDE.
The Cecil County Health Department will be working closely with the new Division of Water and Sewer Planning to provide support through this transition. Services already scheduled with CCHD’s Division of Environmental Health Services will be transitioned to the Water and Sewer Planning Division. Staff from the Water and Sewer Planning Division will be reaching out to constituents individually to discuss their projects.
More information regarding the transition can be found in the FAQ document appended to this press release. The division will begin installer inspections for existing projects on August 28. Contractors seeking to schedule inspections should call the Water and Sewer Planning Division at least two business days in advance of their requested inspection. Customers with new applications, land percolation (perc) tests, septic permits, well permits, or a consultation meeting should submit their request through the county’s OpenGov Portal.
Customers can also contact the Division of Water and Sewer Planning at 410-996-5230, or by email at WaterandSewerPlanning@CecilCountyMD.gov.
