Worcester County owns the Ocean Pines Water and Wastewater Service system in Ocean Pines.  Years ago, when the county was expanding the sewage system capacity, we were told the expansion was only needed for Ocean Pines. That was not true. During peak sewage flow times like Fourth of July weekend, the plant sees perhaps less than half the flow of its rated capacity.

The system now serves a number of areas outside Ocean Pines and the county is expanding service to other outside areas. 

For example, now the County is going to connect River Run to the Ocean Pines sewage service area. Since its inception, River Run has used a spray irrigation system. Will this new connection to the Ocean Pines plant provide land for development that was previously dedicated to spray irrigation? We do not know.

There is little to no communication between the County and OPA on these important issues.

The County is also going to run a sewage line from the Ocean Pines plant to Riddle Farms. The Ocean Pines drinking water system is already there. As a practical matter, the County is spending big money to make the Ocean Pines system a backup for Riddle Farms. The County may say it works both ways, but Riddle Farms cannot even handle its own water and sewage needs much less backup a much, much larger subdivision like Ocean Pines.

The County, regardless of any protestations to the contrary, looks to the Ocean Pines Service area to fuel intense future development in this area of the county. Sadly, despite the promises of 20 years ago, there is nothing Ocean Pines can do about it.

Decades ago, the County created an Ocean Pines water and waste water committee whose sole purpose was to protect the interests of people in Ocean Pines. It has proved useless.