Waste Water Plant Exceeds MDE Regulations

's is doing its job. In fact, the facility is exceeding Maryland Department of the Environment regulations.

Data released by the city on Monday revealed that , located on the former property on Old Bay Lane, discharges far fewer nutrients than the law regulates.

discharged 536,641,000 gallons of treated water into the Chesapeake Bay in 2011.

Only 16,422 pounds of nitrogen was discharged—1,480 pounds below the state regulated limit of 17,902 pounds.

The city also discharged 832 pounds less phosphorus than regulations allow—1,343 pounds is permitted, but only allowed 511 pounds into the bay.

"The city invested and continues to invest a substantial amount of resources into environmental responsibility. I was very happy with the results," said Donna Geiger, the deputy director of public works for , who oversees the plant.

underwent an upgrade of more than $40 million in 2010.

Geiger said she updates the figures monthly and submits an annual report to the Maryland Department of the Environment.

MDE regulates the amount of nutrients that can be released from waste water treatment facilities. Havre de Grace's facility upgrades were mandated as part of the Enriched Nutrient Removal regulations.

The cost of those upgrades is a primary factor in the state of the city's —.