A Baltimore County lawmaker is telling Dundalk homeowners to hit back at persistent sewage plant problems in a place it might actually get officials’ attention: their property tax bills. Persistent problems at the Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant have been reported by nearby residents, and the lawmaker is urging property owners to formally appeal their tax assessments as a pressure tactic.
Long, who represents the Dundalk area, made the appeal, according to WBAL NewsRadio 1090 and FM 101.5. The plant’s chronic troubles have raised concerns among people who live closest to it. A town hall is also planned so residents can discuss concerns about the plant.
The Back River plant itself is massive by any measure. It serves Baltimore City and Baltimore County. Although it sits in Dundalk, Baltimore City is responsible for the plant, while the Maryland Department of the Environment is the regulator.
A History of Breakdowns and Broken Promises
This is not the plant’s first brush with government intervention. In March 2022, the state ordered the Maryland Environmental Service to temporarily take over Back River’s operations after severe maintenance failures and illegal pollutant discharges. At the time, MDE inspectors found that only two of the plant’s 11 primary settling tanks were in service, with one requiring maintenance, as reported by Baltimore Brew…