Why Anne Arundel County is investing in the Mayo system now
If you live on the Mayo Peninsula, you may have heard about the Mayo Tank Replacement Project. Here’s a quick look at where the system came from and why the County is acting now.
How the system began
In the 1980s, the Mayo Peninsula sewer system was built as a Septic Tank Effluent Pump (STEP) system. Each of the roughly 2,000 original homes got a septic tank on its property. Effluent, the liquid left after solids settle in the tank, was then moved by pump or by gravity into a collection system. At first, it traveled to the Mayo Water Reclamation Facility for treatment. Today it is processed at the Annapolis Water Reclamation Facility.
The system has grown steadily since then and now serves more than 3,300 connections.
Why now
The tanks have done their job well for decades. Many are now reaching the end of their expected life, and the oldest are more than 35 years old. Rather than wait for problems to appear, the County is taking a proactive approach: replacing the tanks and their related electrical components on a planned schedule. Replacing equipment at the right time means fewer surprises, more predictable service, and less disruption for homeowners than emergency repairs would cause.
The work will happen in phases over about 12 years. Phase 1 begins in spring 2027 in Glebe Heights and River Club Estates, with other Mayo communities following in later phases.
Stay Informed
The Mayo Tank Replacement Project page is the official source for schedules, maps, and updates.
We encourage you to subscribe to project emails. Emails will be sent individually to impacted communities as they enter active phases.