Grant Will Help Upgrade MetCom Facility
Grants Administrator Larry Petty has been credited with acquiring a grant to update the Marlay-Taylor Treatment Facility.
A $945,000 grant has been awarded to the St. Mary’s County Metropolitan Commission and will be used to upgrade the methane co-generation system at the Marlay-Taylor Treatment Facility. The grant is from the Maryland Department of the Environment and will be used for engineering design, construction, and start-up services related to the facility’s upgrade.
The current facility has not been performing up to its optimal operational efficiency since it was started in 2011. System maintenance has been higher than anticipated, said David Elberti, MetCom chief engineer. The proposed upgrade aims to improve the quality of methane gas that powers the generators. It will also enhance system performance and will reduce the needs for maintenance.
Methane gases are a byproduct of the treatment of wastewater. The co-generation facility captures the gases and converts them to electric energy to electric energy, which is used to produce hot water, which is then reused in the treatment process to reduce demand on the oil fired boilers. The idea is to use the created electricity and hot water to reduce costs at the facility.
Scott Bundy, MetCom executive director, credited a longtime employee for securing the grant. “This grant would not have happened if it were not for former executive director and current Grants Administrator Larry Petty.” Petty came to MetCom in 1981 as executive director after a distinguished career in the US Navy. After leaving the executive director post in 1994, Petty became MetCom’s grants administrator.
“Larry has informed us that he is retiring this year after 35 years with MetCom,” Bundy said. “This grant is one heck of a way to leave with a bang.”
The Marlay-Taylor facility serves the Lexington Park area and Patuxent River Naval Air Station and is MetCom’s largest treatment facility. It also serves areas as far away as St. George Island, Callaway, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, and Piney Point. The plant processes an average of 4.2 million gallons each day.
To learn more about St. Mary’s County Metropolitan Commission, visit its Leader Member page.
