CAMBRIDGE, Md. — A sewage spill in Cambridge led to confusion this week after the city initially stated that roughly 30,000 gallons of waste had entered the Choptank River. That statement has since been retracted, with city leaders now saying the overflow never reached the waterway.
The spill occurred near a parking lot off Route 50 near Bucktown Road. While the city first advised neighbors to avoid parts of the river, officials now say that step was taken out of precaution.
Cambridge Public Information Officer Talibah Chikwendu said the original language was meant to prevent risk — not confirm contamination.
“It was mentioned as an overabundance of caution, not because it was directly leaking into the Choptank, but because it could have,” Chikwendu said.
Cambridge City Manager Glenn Steckman acknowledged the initial statement caused concern in the community.
“It did create some misunderstanding,” Steckman said.
Steckman said city crews responded quickly to contain the overflow at the site and prevent it from spreading.
“We were able to contain the flow on the site and it has been properly addressed by the city crews,” Steckman said.
He emphasized that the Choptank River was not impacted and remains safe for use.
“The people should be able to feel safe,” Steckman told WBOC. “It is safe to fish and to oyster in the Choptank River. The overflow happened nowhere near it. The city has worked to clean it up, and it had no impact on the Choptank.”
Chikwendu said the Maryland Department of the Environment was notified and cleanup efforts began the following morning.
“We had notified MDE that it had occurred,” Chikwendu said. “And then we did the clean up on Saturday morning for it.”
Watermen in the area say they were relieved to learn the river was not affected but note the situation highlights ongoing infrastructure concerns.
Robert Newberry, president of the Delmarva Fisheries Association, said aging systems in rural communities remain an issue.
“It just goes to show that a lot of our infrastructure, specifically in the rural counties like Dorchester, are in need of some formal repair,” Newberry said.
Newberry added that keeping waste out of the river is critical for those who depend on it for their livelihoods.
“As long as it didn’t go into the water, that is good,” Newberry said.
City leaders say the damaged pump station will be repaired and that drinking water was never affected by the overflow. Officials also point to ongoing efforts to upgrade Cambridge’s wastewater lines. The city maintains the spill has been contained, the site treated, and the Choptank River remains safe for fishing, oystering and recreation.