If there was any surprising news at the recent Town Hall Meeting held by Worcester County Commissioners Chip Bertino and Jim Bunting, it was related to the Ocean Pines area drinking water system, not the proposed ripoff of Ocean Pines homeowners in the ongoing sewage treatment losses across northern Worcester County.

At one point, Bertino mentioned the water supply system in Glen Riddle, saying the water tower there was essentially empty. Apparently the Glen Riddle drinking water system, like the Glen Riddle sewage treatment system, has been more or less inoperative for perhaps seven years!

Seems like Glen Riddle has been receiving drinking water directly from the Ocean Pines drinking water wells, to the extent that at one point in the current year the County warned of low water levels in the aquifer used by Ocean Pines for all its drinking water.

Now, we just hear County staff may soon propose a new water tower and well on the north side of Ocean Pines that could cost association members over $6 million.

Why isn't the County keeping OPA lot owners informed? Why isn't a county committee whose sole purpose is to protect the interests of OPA's ratepayers keeping us informed?

The dilemma for water and sewer ratepayers in OPA is Worcester County owns the system. The County Commissioners seem intent on using the Ocean Pines area water and sewer system to fuel intensive commercial and residential development in the areas around Ocean Pines. Who will fund the many millions to benefit land developers? Primarily the owners of properties in Ocean Pines. Count on it, despite any dubious claims about developers paying their fair share.

Is the county obligated to provide water and sewer service for proposed new development? Probably not. More likely, developers are required to provide their own water and sewer service.

Beyond the money and the extensive proposed developments is the most important issue facing every lot owner in Ocean Pines - the quality and cost of drinking water. Drinking water in Ocean Pines is superb, some of the best around and requiring very little treatment. It comes from a relatively near-surface aquifer.

In contrast, areas to the south and east of Ocean Pines, including Glen Riddle and Ocean City, take water from very deep aquifers, aquifers laden with iron and other nasty deposits. Ugh. These deposits require extremely expensive treatment to use as drinking water.

We now know that for perhaps seven years, Glen Riddle received its drinking water from Ocean Pines. Presumably, the Glen Riddle service area reimbursed the Ocean Pines service area. Was the reimbursement based on the high cost for Glen Riddle to provide its own drinking water, or the very low cost of the much better drinking water from Ocean Pines?

Adding insult to injury is ratepayers in Ocean Pines were apparently forced to pay half the very expensive cost of running a water main from Ocean Pines, under Turville Creek, to Glen Riddle.

Years ago, I told association members and the OPA Board of Directors what was coming.

In July 2005 I wrote: "It is perfectly clear the County appears more interested in providing water for outside development interests than protecting the interests of Ocean Pines ratepayers. Some of the information provided by Escher (then county "sewer Czar") seems to be designed to support a predetermined decision to subsidize development rather than taking a hard look at keeping Ocean Pines rates as low as possible while maintaining the current high drinking water quality."

And this, also in July 2005: "No one should be tricked into believing the overall news out of Snow Hill is good for Ocean Pines on the water and sewage front. Brace yourself for the coming knock-out punch."

In June of 2007, with regard to connecting Ocean Pines water to Glen Riddle, I wrote: "One needs to follow the money. Start thinking about the high cost for Riddle Farms to treat their water. Once the connection is made they can get the good, much less expensive OP water. And that takes much more water from an aquifer the county tells us can't be tapped any more. This sell-out has more twists and turns than one of Trimper's rides.”