WICOMICO COUNTY, Md. — The Maryland Department of the Environment held a public hearing Wednesday on a proposed wastewater discharge permit for Perdue AgriBusiness’ facility on Zion Church Road near Salisbury.
The proposed permit would allow Perdue to discharge up to one million gallons of treated wastewater per day. The current permit allows an average of about 205,000 gallons per day.
The hearing was held in a hybrid format, allowing people to attend in person or participate online. MDE reviewed details of the permit request, took questions from attendees and allowed members of the public to submit comments for the record.
Some neighbors who live near the Perdue facility spoke out against the proposed permit, citing concerns about water quality and PFAS contamination previously identified in the area.
Percy Watts of Salisbury says his household has stopped using its water for drinking.
“We haven't drink the water since we found that it was a problem," Watts said. "We have water delivered in every two weeks, but that gets old after a while."
Drew Getty with Perdue Farms says the company continues to work with state and local officials to address concerns.
“We continue to work closely with MDE, with the state and local health department to...make sure that we're supporting the community and making sure that we're addressing issues as they arise," Getty told WBOC.
The proposed permit would support an expansion of the facility and allow for a higher average wastewater discharge.
MDE is accepting written comments on the proposed permit through November 9.
A decision on whether to approve the permit is not expected until after the public comment period ends.
