By Greg Ellison

(April 2, 2020) As Worcester County officials look ahead to improving water and wastewater treatment operations in Ocean Pines, among the projects on the schedule are constructing a new operations building, making a pair of pump station upgrades and improving the facility’s aeration system.

Worcester County Public Works Director John Tustin said $3 million in funding was included in the 2019 Consolidated Public improvement Bond for numerous projects within the Ocean Pines service area.

“All projects are included in a 2019 bond issue that’s already been approved,” he said. “We do take the projects to the commissioners individually for bidding.”

For a total cost estimated under $1 million, the Ocean Pines Water and Wastewater New Improvements Project includes replacing the operations building.

“They’re currently working out of a building from 1970,” he said.

Last month, the county commissioners vetted site plans to erect a 62-by-54-foot building at the treatment plant location. The work schedule also includes razing a 20-by-50-foot structure currently in use.

The operations upgrade is in the works and, when finished, would provide a more comfortable workspace, Tustin said.

To continue responding to concerns about leaky water holding tanks within the Ocean Pines Sanitary Service Area, the most problematic are scheduled to be swapped out.

“We budget to replace about 50 a year,” he said. “It’s our typical tank replacement program, which is ongoing.”

Other work scheduled includes replacing apparatus in two pump stations.

“They’re currently under design and we hope to get them on the street sometime this summer,” he said.

Lastly, Tustin said some minor repairs to the plant’s aeration system are also in the works later this year.

“Those are the projects that are in the flow right now,” he said.