SNOW HILL – County officials are currently reviewing updated design standards for water and sewer infrastructure throughout Worcester County.
John Tustin, director of the county’s public works department, presented the Worcester County Commissioners last week with a 236-page document outlining standard specifications and details for water mains and sewer mains.
“It’s a voluminous document but it is standardized,” Tustin said.
According to Tustin, when the county’s water and wastewater division was established after the abolishment of the Worcester County Sanitary Commission in 1993, the commissioners adopted a set of standards. Those standards, outlined in a brief 12-page document, were based on guidelines in place in nearby jurisdictions.
In an effort to update the standards, officials in the county’s water and wastewater division have spent the past year reviewing and revamping them.
“These updated specifications include information on products and procedures that have been successfully implemented on other projects within the county,” Tustin wrote in report to the commissioners. “Additionally, the document adds a consolidated package of construction details and a listing of specific products approved for use when constructing water and wastewater facilities with the county for turnover to the county commissioners for future operation and maintenance.”
Tustin stressed that the new standards would ensure that water and sewer infrastructure that would eventually be turned over to the county was well constructed and up to the county’s expectations.
While the new standards could have been approved during last Tuesday’s meeting, the commissioners said they wanted more time to review the document.
“I’m personally not ready to approve this,” Commissioner Jim Bunting said. “I’d like to look at it.”
The proposed standards are available for review in the county administration office and online on the county’s website at http://www.co.worcester.md.us/sites/default/files/bids/Design_Guidelines.pdf.
