# USDA and Maryland Complete Smith Island Wastewater Project

USDA Rural Development, EPA, Maryland, and local partners completed the $22.9 million Smith Island Clean Water Project on October 30, 2026, after 14 years of planning and delivery. The work replaced the wastewater treatment plant, added an underwater wastewater connection, and elevated three pump stations. Designed to withstand tidal flooding, the system is expected to reduce nutrient pollution by 83%–90%. No solicitation or upcoming procurement is announced; the project provides a concrete example of public investment in rural wastewater infrastructure and resilience in Maryland.

- Maryland contributed $15.64 million, USDA Rural Development $5.08 million, and EPA $2.25 million to the project, illustrating how state and federal funding supported a rural utility upgrade.
- Wastewater engineering and construction firms may find the project relevant as a precedent for combining treatment capacity, flood resilience, and water-quality outcomes in rural infrastructure work.
- Utilities and contractors can use the project’s scope—plant replacement, underwater connection, and pump-station elevation—as a reference when assessing similar infrastructure needs; the announcement itself does not identify an open bid opportunity.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Construction & Infrastructure, Environment
**Topics:** Physical Infrastructure, Grants & Funding
**Published:** November 02, 2026

### Government Entities
- U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development (USDA Rural Development)
- Rural Utilities Service (RUS)
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE)
- Somerset County Sanitary District

### Vendors
- George, Miles & Buhr, LLC (Architectural and engineering project lead)

### Key Quotes
> This upgrade strengthens essential services while protecting the Chesapeake Bay and the natural resources that sustain crabbing, oystering, and the watermen who keep this historic way of life alive.
> — Karl Elmshaeuser, Rural Utilities Service Administrator

> Reducing nutrient pollution and restoring this Bay watershed are central to EPA’s mission and the Administration’s commitment to protecting clean water.
> — Amy Van Blarcom-Lackey, EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator

### Sources
- [USDA and Partners Deliver $22.9 Million Wastewater Project Supporting Smith Island’s Resilience and Way of Life | Rural Development](https://www.rd.usda.gov/newsroom/news-release/usda-and-partners-deliver-229-million-wastewater-project-supporting-smith-islands-resilience-and-way) - USDA