DUNDALK, Md. — The patience of fishing on Back River pays off with one hearty keeper, as long as you can keep your mind off of the toxic wastewater from more than a million people’s sewage discovered coming from the nearby plant in Dundalk a few months ago.
MORE: Maryland, Baltimore City agree to new fix at troubled Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant
“They need to fix it, but I’m not dead and everybody’s like, ‘If you fish out of there and eat the fish, you’re going to die and you’re going to break out in blisters,” said Easter Steele of Essex, “and I’m not dead and I sure don’t have any blisters.”
RELATED: Baltimore City asks judge to halt State's takeover of Back River Wastewater Plant
Maryland Environmental Services took over the day to day operations of the plant from Baltimore’s public works department nearly three months ago, and now, the water quality of the plant’s discharges are the best they’ve measured here in two years, but the state oversight was only guaranteed through the end of this month.
A spokesman for Maryland’s Department of the Environment says the state is currently in talks with the city about maintaining state regulators at the plant for the foreseeable future.
Baltimore county also wants a hand in monitoring the plant, since it pays for about half of its operations and its residents live with the filth and fallout when the treatment comes up short.
“We’ve said pretty consistently and clearly, in light of the challenges that have happened, we just want a seat at the table,” said Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski, “We want to make sure that we are able to help have some oversight and control and input into the operations. I want to thank the mayor for his openness for at least dialogue in terms of what’s possible there.”
It also may help restore faith among those who trust their health and well-being to the waters of Back River… to a point, that is.
