By Tara Fischer

Staff Writer

(Sept. 17, 2026) The Town of Berlin approved a contract with Groundwork Solutions Inc. on Monday to handle its Westminster, Abbey and Upshur stormwater management upgrades project.

The $605,684 project, approved by the Berlin Town Council in July, will improve water quality in Newport Bay and help reduce flooding.

Groundwork Solutions has worked with the town before, including the ongoing Town Hall renovation project.

The construction phase of the stormwater management upgrades is paid for through the town’s agreement with the Maryland Coastal Bays Program, which established a budget of $650,000.

According to a staff report, this budget includes construction and EA Engineering’s “effort to perform construction administration and part-time inspection services.” EA is the town’s engineering consultant.

Groundwork Solutions’ initial bid was nearly $625,000. With EA Engineering’s professional services, the total exceeded the budget established with MCBP.

To cover the deficit, the installation of perimeter chain link fences was removed from the scope of work, with the option for the Town of Berlin to construct them later.

This move led to a cost savings of $19,270. EA also offered to adjust the contracted professional services by $6,000 to close the remaining funding gap.

The project will modernize and expand two existing stormwater management facilities: one near the end of Upshur Lane and another within Buckingham Estates. Project Engineer Steven Lemasters said this summer that both ponds were built to outdated Maryland stormwater standards and will be converted into submerged gravel wetlands.

The work includes excavating and enlarging the existing ponds, installing submerged gravel wetlands, replacing storm drainage infrastructure, constructing new drainage structures, relocating portions of a water main, restoring disturbed areas, and resurfacing portions of Westminster Drive and Abbey Lane.

Contractors will also control erosion, maintain traffic, and restore affected driveways, landscaping, and other property elements.

Lemasters said at the July meeting that the project features will be designed to retain more water rather than redirect it.

“Everything from the school to the Upshur, Tingle area to Buckingham … all flows out to West Street currently,” he said at the time. “We’re not configuring anything to redirect water. The two stormwater features will hold more water. So you expect to see a reduction of flooding within the roadways themselves.”

Councilman Jack Orris asked at the summer session if retaining more water upstream could create problems because the existing drainage pipe at West Street remains only 24 inches in diameter.

Lemasters responded that the older facilities were originally designed to manage roughly an inch of rainfall. The upgraded ponds will be able to manage about 3.6 inches of rainfall over 24 hours.

Additionally, Council Vice President Dean Burrell also asked at the previous council meeting how much additional water the ponds would hold. Lesmasters estimated their storage capacity would increase by roughly four times after construction.

Lemasters cautioned that the project is not a complete solution.