PRINCESS ANNE — The Water Management Administration (WMA) of the Maryland Department of the Environment is holding a public informational hearing 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 12 at the Princess Anne Library to take comment on a property owner’s plan to withdraw more water from the Manokin aquifer.

Peter Tran of 12308 Palmetto Church Road proposes to increase from 10,000 gallons per day to 16,500 gallons per day the amount of water pulled from four existing wells and two new wells all in Princess Anne’s primary source of drinking water. The water will be used for Mr. Tran’s poultry operation to include evaporative cooling pads and foggers.

During the hottest months of the year up to an average of 33,000 gallons per day could be withdrawn from the wells, an increase from 17,000. The wells are at approximately 200 feet in depth.

While the WMA anticipates “No unreasonable impacts to any other users of the aquifer” the Somerset County Sanitary District has taken exception to these requests in the past and is expected to do so again.

General Manager Tony Stockus has written the state without success about his concerns about the growing use of the Manokin aquifer by the poultry industry when other aquifers not generally used for drinking water are available.

Inquiries about this latest appropriation permit may be directed to John Grace, chief of the WMA’s Source Protection and Appropriation Division, 410-537-3590.