Uncontrolled stormwater runoff from developed areas leads to stormwater pollution running into our streams, causing erosion of stream banks, siltation and widening of stream channels, and localized flooding. In urban areas like many parts of Montgomery County, rain and snow melt run across streets, sidewalks, and rooftops, rather than soaking into the ground. This fast-moving excess water harms our waterways by carrying pollution, tearing at the sides of our streams, and causing erosion and sedimentation. Urban runoff also adds to downstream pollution in the Anacostia, Patuxent, and Potomac rivers and the Chesapeake Bay. Multi-state agreements as well...

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PROGRAM DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES

Uncontrolled stormwater runoff from developed areas leads to stormwater pollution running into our streams, causing erosion of stream banks, siltation and widening of stream channels, and localized flooding.

In urban areas like many parts of Montgomery County, rain and snow melt run across streets, sidewalks, and rooftops, rather than soaking into the ground. This fast-moving excess water harms our waterways by carrying pollution, tearing at the sides of our streams, and causing erosion and sedimentation. Urban runoff also adds to downstream pollution in the Anacostia, Patuxent, and Potomac rivers and the Chesapeake Bay. Multi-state agreements as well as State legislation and programs emphasize the importance of watershed-based programs to protect aquatic habitats and reduce pollution in the Bay and its tributaries.

The objectives of the Stormwater Management program are:

• protecting natural waterway environments,
• addressing the impacts of stormwater runoff by enhancing existing best management practices (BMPs) such as ponds,
• restoring streams previously damaged by excessive erosion and sedimentation, and
• installing new BMPs to capture runoff and allow for treatment to prevent impaired water quality.

The County's Stormwater Management program is watershed-based and focuses on mitigating problems caused by development that was constructed prior to the implementation of current stormwater management controls and on proactive planning in the developing portions of the County.

Residential and commercial property owners pay a Water Quality Protection Charge (WQPC) to fund the Stormwater Management program. The WQPC funds are used to install new treatment facilities and retrofit existing facilities, maintain treatment facilities, monitor the effects of the treatment, ensure an active public education and engagement program, and ensure compliance with the multiple requirements of the permit issued to the County under the Clean Water Act, and the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit. The main funding mechanisms for treatment facility projects are the WQPC, the financing secured by the WQPC, and a State-facilitated long-term loan.

The County's stormwater restoration requirements are established in the MS4 Permit issued by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE). A fourth generation permit was issued for Montgomery County in November 2021.

The Stormwater Management Capital Program includes facility planning, watershed planning, MS4 compliance implementation, design and construction of stormwater retrofit projects (including low-impact development and green infrastructure), and stream restoration projects. These projects reduce pollution in streams and manage peak runoff flows to improve stream channel habitat and reduce sedimentation impacts from watershed development and urbanized areas.

The CE's recommended FY27-32 CIP includes funding to address flooding throughout the County. Planning work is underway to identify projects to design and construct. Although funding is included in the Stormwater Management subcategory, many of these projects may ultimately reside elsewhere in the capital budget. In those cases, funds will be shifted from Stormwater Management to the subcategory that will design and construct the improvements.

Since FY04, the County has performed structural maintenance for qualified private stormwater management facilities such as ponds, sand filters, and underground facilities located on homeowner, condominium association, and commercial properties. The WQPC funds the maintenance of these privately-owned structures as well as County-owned facilities. This program improves the long-term operational effectiveness of these facilities and increases their pollution removal efficiency.

The Stormwater Management program, which was developed by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to comply with the NPDES MS4 permit, continues to act as a model throughout Maryland for jurisdictions required to develop and implement a Stormwater Management program.

The CIP budget represents the resources necessary to complete the requirements of the MS4 permit and maintain improvements already completed. Additionally, DEP continues to identify program efficiencies to allow for better informed decision making and restoration outcomes at reduced costs. These include the pursuit of lower-cost funding through the Maryland Water Quality Revolving Loan Fund and the increased utilization of public private contracts and partnerships.

The FY27-32 CIP program for Stormwater Management continues the County's commitment to treat impervious surfaces within the County to the maximum extent practicable. The Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Maryland-National Park and Planning Commission also assist in achieving the County's stormwater management goals and hold regular meetings with DEP staff looking for additional areas of cooperation.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Make significant investments to address flooding throughout the County.
• Increase funds for small-scale repair and restoration work to prevent minor deficiencies from becoming larger, more costly projects in the future.
  
• Use Maryland Water Quality Revolving Loan funds to reduce program costs through lower-interest financing.
• Use Water Quality Bonds for projects that are ineligible for low-interest loans.
  
• Install new stormwater management facilities and retrofit old stormwater controls to prevent property damage, improve water quality, and protect habitat.
• Repair major structures on public and private stormwater facilities accepted into the County's maintenance program.

PROGRAM CONTACTS

CAPITAL PROGRAM REVIEW

A total of eight projects are recommended for FY27-32 and are described in detail in the Project Description Forms. The Recommended FY27-32 Stormwater Management Capital Program totals $244.6 million, an increase of of $6.1 million or 2.6 percent from the amended FY25-30 program of $238.5 million. This increase is primarily due to increasing annual spending in level-of-effort projects.

The Stormwater Management Capital Program will be funded primarily by long-term debt financing through the Maryland Water Quality Revolving Loan Fund, WQPC-backed bonds, and Current Revenue: WQP. The Stormwater Management Program assumes multiple awards of Maryland Water Quality Revolving Loan Funds over the six-year period, which replace WQPC Bonds as the primary source of funding for new installations and water quality improvements. Maryland Water Quality Revolving Loan Funds are a low-interest form of borrowing that reduces the overall cost of the program. The loans and bonds will cover expenditures incurred for the design and construction of additional stormwater facilities needed to comply with the requirements of the County's MS4 permit. Cost containment efforts have been aggressively pursued to avoid large increases in the WQPC.

Also included in the funding of the stormwater management projects is an assumption of $3.3 million in State Aid based on the State's interest in supporting stormwater management efforts throughout the state.

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