CUMBERLAND — In an unusual series of events, cleanup costs related to the May 13 flood have hampered Lonaconing’s ability to pay a $500,000 outstanding water bill it owes Allegany County.
The problem started in early January 2023 when the town’s water was tested for turbidity and results showed levels far above state and federal standards.
Within weeks, the Maryland Environmental Service arrived to help restore safe and sustainable water for customers of the Midland-Lonaconing Water System.
Soon after, remedial actions included connection to an Allegany County distribution system for Lonaconing area residents to receive water from Frostburg.
“We are providing water to Lonaconing and Midland right now and it doesn’t seem like that is going away anytime soon,” Frostburg Public Works Director Hayden Lindsey said at the city’s mayor and council meeting in February 2023.
In June 2024, the Maryland Department of the Environment worked with Lonaconing on the town’s final phase of water plant construction upgrades.
But by that time, Lonaconing’s bills for the Frostburg water had piled up.
In the process, Allegany County’s water lines were used, the county bought the water from Frostburg, which billed the county, which billed Lonaconing.
Now, the county said it needs the $500,000 that Lonaconing owes.
On Friday, Lonaconing Mayor Jack Coburn said the bill was more than $1 million a couple of years ago, but the town has chipped away at the debt and made payments to the county when possible.
“When the flooding hit … we fell behind,” he said of the May event.
“There’s also interest being added.”
Coburn said damages from the flood forced Lonaconing to revert to the Frostburg water system.
For two days of use, that cost roughly $18,000, he said, adding that the town incurred significant bills for other flood-related problems.
“We’re working on paying back the money,” Coburn said. “The county has been generous with … the time they gave us.”
To offset some of the money owed, he said the town will consider whether to sue the former company responsible for maintenance of the Lonaconing area’s water system when it failed.
Coburn said the town in 2023 hoped the attorney general would pursue a case against the company, but that never happened.
“We waited,” he said.
“So (now) we’ll have to fight ourselves.”
Meanwhile, Allegany County Commissioner Creade Brodie said money is tight and payment of the $500,000 is needed.
“We’re in a budget crisis ourself,” he said at the commissioners’ Thursday work session.
County Administrator Jason Bennett later said $500,000 is “very significant to the county’s budget, and added the circumstance of the money owed is unusual.
“I would call this a rare situation,” he said.