In response to persistent permit violations and infrastructure failures, Kent County Levy Court has entered into a Conciliation Order by Consent with Delaware’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC). The agreement charts a path toward modernizing the county’s wastewater operations and protecting local waterways.
Key takeaways for facility managers and utility planners:
-
Compliance and violations addressed: The order resolves Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSOs), bacterial and suspended solids effluent breaches, and various operational lapses at the regional treatment plant in Milford and throughout the collection system.
-
Comprehensive corrective actions outlined: The county must execute a multi-year program of upgrades including:
-
Expansion of biosolids handling capacity
-
Upgrades to grit and UV disinfection systems
-
Installation of backup generators at key pump stations
-
Full pipeline condition assessments
-
Engineering reviews of municipal systems to mitigate infiltration and inflow (I&I)
-
-
Oversight and timeline: DNREC’s Division of Water will monitor quarterly progress until full implementation. The consent order remains active through Jan. 1, 2030.
-
Enforcement and environmental investment: Kent County faces a $400,000 administrative penalty, half of which funds a Supplemental Environmental Project (I&I Fund) to upgrade non-county municipal sewer systems vulnerable to stormwater intrusion and groundwater infiltration.
-
Service area implications: The county wastewater system serves multiple municipalities, including Dover, Smyrna, Milford, Clayton, Harrington, and Camden‑Wyoming—many with aging infrastructure prone to inflow issues and capacity strain during wet weather.
