USDA Completes $22.9 Million Smith Island Wastewater Project
A 14-year effort replaces aging facilities with a new treatment plant and underwater pipe serving the island's communities.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Utilities
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture and partners have completed the $22.9 million Smith Island wastewater treatment project after 14 years of planning and construction. A new treatment plant in Ewell and an underwater pipe now connect the island's communities to the upgraded system.
Why it matters
The upgrade modernizes the system to withstand tidal flooding and sharply reduce pollution. The improvements cut harmful nutrients by up to 83%-90%, benefiting Maryland's waterways and the Chesapeake Bay.
The $22.9 million project was funded largely by the Maryland Department of the Environment ($15.64 million) and USDA Rural Development ($5.08 million), with an EPA contribution of $2.25 million completing the package. The improvements reduce harmful nutrients by 83%-90%, though the source does not detail ongoing operating costs.
The players
USDA Rural Development
The rural development arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which provides grants and loans for rural infrastructure projects.
Maryland Department of the Environment
The state agency responsible for environmental protection and regulation in Maryland, which provided the largest share of project funding.
Somerset County Sanitary District
The local government entity that owns and operates the Smith Island wastewater system.
The details
A new treatment plant was built in Ewell to replace older facilities, and a new underwater pipe connects the Smith Island communities to it. All three pump stations were elevated several feet above flood elevation to protect them from floodwater inflow.
Timeline
The project took 14 years from planning to completion.
The completion was celebrated in November 2026.
Roadmap
The project illustrates how federal rural development programs, through USDA Rural Development, are combined with state and EPA funds to upgrade wastewater systems in small, isolated communities. It follows a pattern of multi-agency financing needed to rebuild infrastructure that is vulnerable to tidal flooding.
Residents of Smith Island now connect to a modernized wastewater system with a new treatment plant and underwater pipe. The elevated pump stations are designed to keep the system operating during tidal flooding.
The takeaway
Upgrading small-island infrastructure often requires layering federal, state, and local funding over many years. Communities facing flood risk should expect long planning timelines when pursuing similar projects.
Further reading
For more on how such systems are funded and managed, explore Utilities coverage.
More information
Learn more about federal rural infrastructure support on the USDA Rural Development rural investment information page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by MyEasternShoreMD.
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