Anne Arundel County’s DPW stands out for the breadth and scope of their permit implementation efforts, as well as their innovative funding strategies. The program has led the way in engaging the private sector in the implementation of the County’s MS4 permit. In 2016, the County developed a Full Delivery of Water Quality Improvements procurement mechanism, which allows for the contracting of design/build/maintain installations of stormwater BMPs with very little risk to the County, deferring all payment until projects are completed and inspected. This program has served as both a local and national model for creating an innovative and cost-effective means to procure MS4-associated restoration implementation.
Since 2013, the County has deployed over $30 million directly towards the repair and replacement of existing, failing, stormwater infrastructure as well as authorized the expenditure of over $250 million for water quality restoration projects. The addition of County staff, both in the infrastructure and the restoration divisions, has allowed the County to be much more responsive to constituent stormwater concerns, and provides the opportunity to credibly articulate restoration plans, improve property values, and protect citizen health and well-being.
