Visit Friendsville

10/20/2026

The Garrett County Department of Public Works wants to update Friendsville residents about recent testing for Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs) in the drinking water. DBPs form when chlorine — which is used to kill harmful germs — reacts with natural material found in river water.

During the most recent quarterly test, one of the regulated DBPs, called Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM), measured 0.086 mg/L. The limit set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is 0.080 mg/L, so this test result was slightly above the allowable level.

What does this mean?
- This is not an emergency. If it were, you would have been notified immediately.
- Health concerns related to DBPs come from long-term exposure over many years, not from a single test result or short-term exposure.
- Friendsville has no history of long-term DBP issues, and we continue to monitor water quality every quarter.

Why did this happen?
- Friendsville uses river water, and DBP levels can rise when:
- Water temperatures increase (especially in summer)
- The river has more natural organic material
- Flows are low or conditions change quickly

What is being done to fix this?
- The County is taking several steps to reduce DBPs and improve water quality:

Short-Term Improvements (Underway Now)
- Adjusting chlorine levels and system flushing
- Installing new greensand and granular activated carbon (GAC) filters
> Greensand improves water quality before disinfection
> GAC removes organic material that forms DBPs

Long-Term Solution (In Progress)
The County is working toward switching Friendsville from river water to a groundwater source, which naturally forms far fewer DBPs. This includes:
- A new water treatment plant
- A new groundwater well source
- A new water storage tank
- Improvements to the distribution system

Funding is being pursued through MDE, USDA, and other programs to support these upgrades.

Our Commitment
We want residents to feel confident in their drinking water. Garrett County is committed to improving the system, meeting all state and federal standards, and keeping the community informed every step of the way.

If you have questions, please contact:
Garrett County Department of Public Works – Utilities Division
Phone: 301-334-6983

>>> View more Member News at visitdeepcreek.com/member-news/

10/15/2026

📢 Mayor & Town Council Meeting Notice
The Mayor and Town Council will hold their regular meeting at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, October 19, 2026.
📍 Location: Friendsville Town Hall, Council Chambers

The agenda is located at the Town of Friendsville website athttps://www.friendsville.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Agenda-October-19-2026.pdf

Community members are encouraged to attend and stay informed on matters affecting our town. We look forward to seeing you there!

10/14/2026

🍂 October in Friendsville! The Town of Friendsville encourages residents to enjoy the beautiful fall season and stay connected with upcoming Town events, projects, and community activities in the Town of Friendsville Newsletter at https://app.smore.com/n/0df8w . Thank you to our residents, volunteers, and local organizations for continuing to make Friendsville a wonderful place to live, work, and visit!

Friendsville Newsletter

10/14/2026

📣 Reminder: Mobile Market Today!
Don’t forget! The Mobile Market will be at Town of Friendsville Community Park today at 2:00 p.m. Stop by and take advantage of this great community resource. We hope to see you there

10/13/2026

Total Trihalomethane (TTHM) MCL Violation at the Town of Friendsville

Our water system recently violated a drinking water standard. Although this incident was not an emergency, as our customers, you have a right to know what happened and what we are doing to correct this situation.

Testing results from July 2026 through September 2026 show that our system exceeded the standard for TTHM. The standard for TTHM is 80 ppb. The level of TTHM at one of our system’s locations for July 2026 through September 2026 was 86 ppb.

What should I do?
• There is nothing you need to do. You do not need to boil your water or take other corrective actions. If a situation arises where the water is no longer safe to drink, you will be notified immediately.

What does this mean?
TTHM are four organic chemicals which form when disinfectants react with natural organic matter in the water.

*People who drink water containing Total Trihalomethanes in excess of the MCL over many years may experience problems with their liver, kidneys, or central nervous system, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer.*

What is being done?
The Garrett County Department of Public Utilities anticipates resolving the violation through the installation of a water strainer. Additionally, a water loss prevention valve has been installed, allowing the Department to implement a regular flushing program throughout the distribution system.

For more information regarding TTHM standards, please call Maryland Department of the Environment 410-537-3000.

*Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.*

Date distributed: October 13, 2026.

Brandon Griffith
Division Chief
Public Works Utilities Division
Garrett County Government

10/13/2026

10/09/2026

The Garrett County Department of Public Utilities has scheduled fire hydrant flushing on the Friendsville water system for Wednesday, October 14th between the hours of 7am and 3pm. Please check cold water for discoloration before using. Questions or concerns can be directed to 301-334-6976.