WASHINGTON — Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks and 1st District Rep. Andy Harris, all of Maryland, secured $6.2 million in Congressionally Directed Spending for the construction of a new wastewater treatment plant to serve Millington and the surrounding area.
The funding was included in the Fiscal Year 2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act — legislation that was part of a larger government funding agreement passed by Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump in November, ending a 43-day federal government shutdown.
“This investment is a game-changer for Kent County,” Ron Fithian, president of the Kent County Commissioners, said in a news release sent out Jan. 14 from the county’s Department of Economic and Tourism Development.
“Preparing for growth will ignite transformation along a long-underutilized corridor, turning potential into progress and creating a vibrant hub for business, workforce, and housing,” Fithian said in the news release.
He thanked Kent County’s congressional delegation of Van Hollen, Alsobrooks and Harris, noting that their support was instrumental in getting the project off the ground.
The current wastewater treatment plant was built in 1963. Owned by the Town of Millington, it is located in the 200-block of Sassafras Street in the portion of the town that is in Queen Anne’s County.
Although major upgrades were completed in 2002 and extensive repairs were made again in 2010 following a significant flood event, these repairs have now reached the end of their useful life, according to the news release.
Also, original mechanical and electrical components of the plant have exceeded their anticipated service life by threefold.
The current plant sits within a FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Area] Special Flood Hazard Area, making it vulnerable to damage from severe storms and weather events.
The new facility to be built in the 31000-block of River Road, just outside Millington’s town limits, will be located out of the flood area and on higher ground, adding resilience to this critical infrastructure project.
According to Kent County’s Director of Public Works Dan Mattson, relocating the facility outside of the floodplain significantly mitigates the risk of service disruptions and emergency repairs during storm events that have repeatedly impacted the current facility.
“This investment protects both public health and taxpayer dollars,” Mattson said in the news release.
The new plant has been designed to meet modern Enhanced Nutrient Removal standards, replacing aging infrastructure with a facility built for long-term performance. It will provide reliable treatment capacity that supports growth, while protecting local waterways and the Chesapeake Bay, Mattson said.
The existing plant has a capacity of 105,000 gallons per day [GPD] and currently operates at an average daily flow of 73,000 GPD.
With an initial capacity of 350,000 GPD and a potential ultimate capacity of 700,000 GPD, the new plant is designed to accommodate the area’s growing demand for wastewater treatment services.
“The new plant will serve to unlock the economic growth and development potential of this area, presenting a significant opportunity for economic revitalization along the [U.S. Route] 301 corridor and within the Town of Millington. The project’s anticipated impact on commercial and residential development underscores its pivotal role in fostering regional growth and prosperity,” the news release states.
The new, modern sewer plant will be a boon to Millington as the town “expands to its natural extent, allowing abutting landowners to envision future and diverse planning potential in and around one of the county’s most important traffic hubs, the U.S. 301 and River Road (Route 291) intersection,” Millington Mayor Kevin Hemstock said in the news release.
The new facility will provide greater opportunities for infill development.
In addition, Hemstock said, “it’s a needed environmental improvement, employing state-of-the-art technology to protect the bountiful and beautiful head of the Chester River, an important wildlife corridor and riverine ecology. It’s a win-win-win for all and demonstrates the good that can come from municipal and county cooperation.”
Planning for this project has been a collaborative effort between Kent County, the Town of Millington, and with the support of Queen Anne’s County, where the current facility is located within Millington’s municipal boundaries.
“We are thrilled that the feasibility and design work supported by the Rural Maryland Economic Development Fund, through the Upper Shore Regional Council and the Maryland Department of Commerce, has sparked the momentum needed to launch construction of the new Millington Wastewater Treatment Plant,” Susan O’Neill, executive director of the Upper Shore Regional Council, said in the news release.
Echoing the sentiments of other local officials, Millington Town Administrator Elizabeth Jo Manning said the project marks an important milestone for Millington.
She said the new facility will enhance water quality, support future growth, and ensure compliance with current and future environmental standards.
By working together, Manning said, Millington and Kent County “are reaffirming their shared commitment to protecting natural resources and improving the quality of life for all residents.”
In a statement, Rep. Harris said, “This project marks a significant upgrade to aging infrastructure and strengthens public health and environmental protections across Maryland’s First District.”
“Upgrades to aging water infrastructure are essential to the health and well-being of our communities. That’s why we fought to secure $6.2 million in direct federal funding to support the construction of a modern and more resilient wastewater treatment plant in Millington to withstand flooding and extreme weather,” Sen. Van Hollen said in a statement.
Sen. Alsobrooks said federal investment in a new Millington wastewater treatment plant is “long overdue,” while also noting that the new facility is a “long-term investment in the people and the economy of Kent County.”
