Bay Restoration Fund Grant Program

Any Baltimore County property owner may apply for the grant money. However, available funds will be prioritized in accordance with the following:

• Highest Priority
  Failing septic systems or holding tanks in the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area (CBCA)
• High Priority
  Failing septic systems or holding tanks outside the CBCA where the Department finds a BAT is necessary due to limited lot size, shallow ground water, poor soils or inadequate distance from septic system to water supplies, or surface waters of the state.

Note: Sites with holding tanks will only be considered for a BAT if a viable soil-based disposal area can be identified.

• Medium-High Priority
  Non-conforming septic systems in the CBCA
• Medium-Low Priority
  Non-conforming septic systems outside the CBCA
• Low Priority
  Non-failing septic systems in the CBCA where a BAT is required to support new construction
• Low Priority
  Non-failing septic system outside the CBCA where a BAT is required to support new construction

The EPS grant review will include assessing the availability of public sewer. If the subject property has access to public sewer, a grant will only be approved for a sewer connection. If your septic system is failing and you are in an area that is scheduled to have a public sewer in the near future, your request for funds may be delayed until public sewer is available.

For BAT installation, the grant money may be used for the cost and installation of the BAT plus two years of maintenance. It may not be used for the cost of the drainfield (except for qualifying low income owners) or for permit or recordation fees. For public sewer connections, the grant money may be used for cost of connection, as well as sewer system connection fees and permits.

Residential properties with household incomes less than $300,000 per year are eligible for 100 percent funding. All non-profit entities are eligible for 100 percent funding. Non-residential properties are eligible for 50 percent funding of the project cost.

The property owner will be required to submit the necessary application information and proof of income, and allow access for EPS to conduct an initial site inspection. If approved for a BAT installation, the property owner must sign and, if necessary, record an agreement that acknowledges that the BAT system must be maintained by a qualified operator for as long as the septic system is in use, and allows the County to periodically conduct onsite inspections to ensure that the BAT unit is operating satisfactorily.