Neighbors fear proposed 26-home development could cause well water systems to fail

ELLICOTT CITY, Md. — In western Howard County, an area that relies solely on well water, a new proposed high-density development along Triadelphia Road has caused concern for neighbors worried there might not be enough water to go around.

Signs now line Triadelphia Road ask: Is there enough water for 26 large houses? With QR codes to neighbors' website providing more information on the project.

Elm Street Development plans to build 26 multi-level, age-restricted homes and a community center on what's known as the Twigg property, located at the intersection of Triadelphia Road and Lakeway Drive.

"There's, I believe, a large demand for age-restricted housing in the western part of the county," Elm Street's regional partner Jason Van Kirk said.

But nearby neighbors have seriously questioned whether the property can support everyone on the limited resources.
The development estimates 4,050 gallons of water per day, enough for about 150 gallons for one person in each home, an estimate established by the Maryland Department of the Environment according to Kirk.

Susan Euteneur and Becky Merrill are part of a coalition of neighbors that have raised concerns.

"It's a great place to live. I would love to have great neighbors who enjoy the same things I do. What I worry about is that having higher-density development could cause significant utility failures to a lot of neighbors," Euteneur said.

"We are concerned about our way of living, our lifestyle. If our houses lose water, we can't live in our houses," Merrill said. “We depend on our wells, and if our wells fail, what are we going to do?”

They worry a failed well on the Twigg property could have a cascading effect on neighbors' well water systems. Rebuilding one can be expensive and in some cases, for smaller properties, downright impossible.

Neighbors brought their concerns to the county, which still approved the developer's conditional use over the summer.

Homeowners have since raised money to appeal it, not convinced by the evidence shared so far. Their hearing is scheduled for December 3.

WMAR-2 News' Blair Sabol took their concerns to the developer, who says the water levels are still being determined by the state, and not the county.

"The water appropriation permit process that MDE is going through now is going to require us to do pumping tests to show them that we're not adversely affecting off-site properties," Van Kirk said.

When asked what would happen if MDE determines the water and well system could not support the development of 26 homes, Van Kirk responded:

"Then we have to reduce our density to the level that we can support."

He believes those results and final approval of the project are possibly years away.

Neighbors are hopeful the process will protect both them and their families.

"If it doesn't hurt our neighborhood, then we welcome neighbors, but if it hurts our neighborhood, we really hope that the county and the state will put some restraints on it," Euteneuer said.

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