Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant (180 MGD) Sparrows Point Discharge Evaluations. Baltimore, Maryland.

Historically the flow to Sparrows Point was used as industrial water for the steel making facilities (formerly Bethlehem Steel) and discharged to the Patapsco River. The steel plant has shut down; however, for Back River WWTP to meet its permit, effluent must still discharge at Sparrows Point. The City and WRA have had discussions with the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) to evaluate the water quality impact of a possible increase in the effluent discharge to Back River, which would reduce or possibly eliminate the need to discharge effluent to Sparrows Point. Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) is updating the existing water quality (WQ) model for Back River to evaluate various flow scenarios for discharges to Back River and Patapsco. WRA is providing oversight for the re-evaluation of the WQ model for Back River.