ANNAPOLIS – Gov. Martin O’Malley says he wants to ban developers from installing septic systems in new housing developments in Maryland.
The proposal would prohibit developers from installing an underground septic system — the most common method for draining sewage in Maryland’s rural communities — in developments with at least five homes, according to legislative aides. The bill is still being drafted.
O’Malley slipped the proposal into his 27-minute State of the State address on Thursday, creating an immediate, audible buzz among lawmakers representing the state’s rural communities.
“There’s some real questions marks on [O’Malley’s] proposal to ban septics from the rural area,” said Republican Sen. E.J. Pipkin of the Eastern Shore. “What impact does that have on rural areas and private property rights?”
O’Malley says the ban would help prevent sewage from leaking into the Chesapeake Bay.
“This is a direct attack on the private property rights of rural landowners in Maryland,” said Republican Del. Michael Smigiel, also from the Eastern Shore. “This will destroy the ability of working-class Marylanders to have affordable housing.”
