News & Updates
This page serves as a repository for all required information related to Baltimore City’s (the “City”) Consent Decree (“CD”) with the Maryland Department of the Environment (“MDE”) and Blue Water Baltimore (“BWB”). The Consent Decree represents a settlement of certain violations alleged by MDE and BWB regarding the discharge permits issued to both Back River and Patapsco Wastewater Treatment Plants over the past several years.
The reports must detail the implementation of any corrective actions and work performed under the Consent Decree, progress tracking on projects, required completion dates and actual completion dates, financial expenditures on each project, and all stipulated penalties (if any) that have accrued during that quarter.
Bypass Warning Light Notifications
The City is improving how residents receive information about bypass events at its two wastewater treatment plants, Back River and Patapsco.
As part of this effort, the City has established a new notification process that allows residents to sign up to receive alerts when bypass warning lights are activated at the wastewater treatment plants.
What Are Bypass Warning Lights?
Bypass warning lights are used to alert the public when certain conditions at a wastewater treatment plant require a bypass of the normal treatment process. The lights provide an important visual notification to nearby residents and the community.
A New Way to Stay Informed
Residents can now sign up to receive notifications when the City activates a bypass warning light at Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant and Patapsco Wastewater Treatment Plant.
This new process provides residents with timely information about bypass warning light activity without having to rely solely on the physical warning lights at the facilities.
Residents can sign up for bypass warning light notifications using their email address.
The City is committed to providing residents with timely, transparent information and continuing to improve communication about operations at its wastewater treatment facilities.
Download Reports
Paragraph 170 of the CD requires the City to post quarterly reports on its website for public consumption.
2026
BWW CD Report August 2026
BWW CD Report May 2026
BWW CD Report February 2026
2025
BWW CD Report August 2025
BWW CD Report May 2025
BWW CD Report February 2025
2024
BWW CD Report November 2024
BWW CD Report August 2024
BWW CD Report May 2024
BWW CD Report February 2024
2023
Planning Process
The Bureau of Solid Waste (BSW) lead SWMP planning with input from the Bureau of Water and Wastewater, the Office of Sustainability, the Departments of Health, Housing, Planning and more. BSW contracted with Geosyntec Consultants to write the plan, and incorporate feedback from stakeholders in accordance with the regulations set by MDE and with Gavin to support media outreach, comment tracking, and meeting facilitation.
- Full 60% Plan Draft (please use the translation feature by clicking a flag in the right top corner)
- Full Final Plan Draft (coming soon)
- 4/24/23 Public Meeting Slide Deck: Spanish