Skip to content. | Skip to navigation

Sections
Personal tools
You are here: Home / The Story of Wild Brook Trout / Landowner Resources / Bay Restoration Fund Program

Bay Restoration Fund Program

Canaan Valley Institute is working in partnership with state agencies in Maryland and West Virginia to protect water quality by assisting homeowners with funding for septic system pumping and/or replacement. Find out if you qualify.

Wastewater photo

What Is the Bay Restoration Fund?

Nitrogen and phosphorus pollution are some of the largest threats to the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, and a vast majority of that pollution comes from conventional septic systems leaching into the groundwater. The Bay Restoration Fund was created to improve the health of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries by providing grant funding to Maryland homeowners for the installation of nitrogren-removing Best Available Technology (BAT) units to replace conventional septic systems. BAT systems can reduce nitrogen discharged from a conventional septic system by up to 50%, helping to reduce the nitrogen load in both the Critical Area (land within 1000’ of a tidal body of water) as well as surface waters away from the Critical Area.

In some cases, a public sewer connection may be the more feasible option rather than a septic system replacement. In this case, the grant will provide funds towards the cost of the connection rather than providing a BAT unit.

Apply today!

The Maryland Department of the Environment oversees the BRF program at the state level, and Canaan Valley Institute administers the program at the county level for six counties: Allegany, Carroll, Frederick, Howard, Montgomery, and Washington. Further information on the Bay Restoration Fund can be found on the Maryland Department of the Environment’s website at www.mde.state.md.us. For information on our program in Berkeley County, West Virginia, please contact us by email at .

Learn More

Click here to views FAQs and learn more about the application process if you are in one of the six counties in Maryland that we manage. West Virginia homeowners in the Tuscarora Creek watershed of Berkeley County can contact us at .

Ready to Apply?

Click here to submit an application.

 Visit Canaan Valley Institute at www.canaanvi.org to learn more about our work.