(2/28) The Maryland General Assembly approved an outlay of $1 million budget item in the state's capital budget to pay for water infrastructure improvements in Emmitsburg. The money will be used for a water clarifier. The clarifier would be installed west of the town, near a water-treatment structure in proximity to Crystal Fountain Rd.

The qualifier will cost around $1.4 million, so the town will have to pay for - or find additional funding … for the difference.

Meanwhile a proposal to seeking federal funding to aid with the replacement of the DePaul Street and North Seton Avenue waterlines which was to be discussed at upcoming meeting of the Emmitsburg commissioners has been pulled from the agenda.

Town Manager Cathy Willets told the News-Journal that the agenda item has been withdrawn for further consideration at this time. "The Town is (still) currently in the process of completing the preliminary engineering report (PER) and environmental report (ER) on the waterlines."

She said these reports must be completed … before the town can proceed with soliciting for federal Department of Agriculture funding. When the reports are completed, seeking approval for applying for the funding will then be placed back on the agenda.

The town had applied to the Maryland Department of the Environment for funding to rectify the pipeline issues, but the application was denied.

The commissioners previously approved engaging Annapolis-based McCrone to conduct the PER and ER for DePaul and North Seton waterlines, at a cost of $25,000. The PER will consider all of the town’s waterlines and water-supply system, while the ER would apply to the North Seton and DePaul projects specifically.

The necessity of addressing the DePaul Street and North Seton Avenue waterlines stemmed from numerous reports being received from drinking-water were complaining of a persistent brown colorization of their tap water.

The complaints began to flow-in, beginning in October 2019. Although there were multiple suspect-sources, the DePaul and North Seton waterlines were determined to be subject to internal corroding, resulting in rusting iron-flakes dropping off into the water … thus generating the colorization.

The water was subsequently tested and found to be "harmless," a statement posted on the town website stating, "Although the water may not be visually appealing, it is safe to drink and continues to meet all federal and state drinking water standards. There is no health hazard associated with the discolored water."

While the iron-rust posed no health risks, residents reported at the January 6, 2020 commissioners’ meeting that they had suffered the consequences of rust in their water - which has stained clothing (including expensive service-uniforms), led to buying bottled water, and purchasing expensive filtration units, or increasing the numbers of filters they expend … trying to eliminate the pollutants. The discoloration began to dramatically diminish by early March 2020.