looking ahead

Clearly, Montgomery County is blessed with many valuable water resources. It is equally clear, however, that
although much has been done, much more needs to be done to improve and safeguard those resources, and to
meet State standards and TMDLs. The value of our water resources for the County’s environmental and
economic health and sustainability is simply too great to do otherwise. Continually evolving water quality
regulations will necessitate careful planning and cost-effective actions.

As the County runs out of open land to develop, accommodating future growth through redevelopment and infill
will become increasingly important. Redevelopment will afford new opportunities to green our urban areas for
multiple environmental benefits, including stormwater quantity and quality management. Implementing
Environmental Site Design will play a large role in both remaining greenfield development and in future
redevelopment. Finding ways to retrofit older development with no or inadequate stormwater controls will also
be needed, considering the past and ongoing water quality and habitat degradation in the County’s urban
streams. Increasing the area, quality, and connectivity of our natural resources, especially in riparian areas, will
continue to be vital in protecting the integrity of our water resources. Limiting non-point pollutants while
protecting agriculture will also be a challenge.

Funding to implement the County’s MS4 Permit, meet TMDLs and water quality standards, and replace and
maintain our water and sewer infrastructure, will be a continuing challenge, especially in the face of competing
needs and scarce resources. To meet the challenges ahead, implement the County’s regulatory programs, and
achieve our water resources goals, inter-agency and inter-jurisdictional coordination and cooperation will be
even more vital.

policies and recommendations

The following policies and recommendations address the main water resource issues addressed above including
stormwater and water quality, and water supply and wastewater capacity. A separate section is devoted to land
use and growth policy because these are key components in all water resources issues.

Land Use and Growth Policy

Policy 1. Plan water supply and wastewater treatment capacity to meet the demands of future growth.

Recommendations
1.1 .Continue to coordinate future development and redevelopment with WSSC and the Ten-Year Water

FUNCTIONAL PLAN PLANNIG BOARD DRAFT

and Sewerage Systems Plan.

1.2 Ensure that the Patuxent River Functional Master Plan responds to and is coordinated with the updated
Patuxent River Policy Plan.

Policy 2. Ensure that future growth is consistent with smart growth principles.

Recommendations
2.1 Accommodate future growth through redevelopment and infill in existing urban areas within the Priority
Funding Areas.

2.2 Support agriculture as the preferred land use in the Agricultural Reserve by limiting the use of
alternatives to in-ground septic systems for non-agricultural subdivisions.
water resources

2.3 Provide funding and regulatory support for the Building Lot Termination (BLT) Easement Program in the
Agricultural Reserve to reduce residential uses that are not farm-related.
Policy 3. Plan future growth to minimize impacts to water resources.

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 Recommendations
3.1 The County’s regulatory framework for redevelopment and infill should facilitate levels of stormwater
management that exceed State requirements.

3.2 Enhance incentives for constructing green buildings and green retrofitting and redevelopment to
maximize resource benefits.

3.3 Continue to integrate land use, zoning, redevelopment, and urban design planning and strategies into
water resources protection and regulatory programs and plans.

3.4 Use results from approved water quality implementation plans, watershed studies, Special Protection
Areas, and State and County water resource monitoring to guide the master plan update process.

Policy 4. Focus natural area protection, conservation, mitigation, enhancement, restoration, and management
to maximize water resources protection and quality.

Recommendations
4.1 Increase forest, wetland, meadow, stream buffer, and urban tree canopy County wide, especially in
watersheds with regulatory limits, water quality impairments, or Tier II designations.

4.2 Provide both regulations and incentives to protect and expand urban tree canopy.

4.3 Revise the Forest Conservation Law and regulations and the Trees Technical Manual as needed to
increase the speed and success of reforestation efforts.

4.4 Continue to support natural land preservation and easement programs, especially in watersheds with
known water quality impairments.

4.5 Coordinate park planning and development with Countywide efforts to address water quality
regulations.

4.6 Develop and implement natural resource management plans for lands owned by local governments.

4.7 Maximize water quality protection and improvement through protecting, restoring, and enhancing
natural areas.

Stormwater and Water Quality

Policy 5. Manage stormwater and non-point source pollution to maximize water quality and quantity benefits,
and meet regulatory requirements and inter-jurisdictional commitments.

Recommendations
5.1 Develop and implement a collaborative interagency and external stakeholder process to effectively
address water resource regulatory issues.

5.2 Establish a Water Resources Policy Coordination Committee as recommended by the Clean Water Task
Force, and implement an institutional framework to ensure broad-based interagency coordination and
collaboration.

5.3 Coordinate activities in inter-jurisdictional watersheds with municipalities, adjacent counties, and federal
and state property owners to meet water quality protection, compliance, and improvement needs.

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 5.4 Identify improvements needed to maximize water quality improvements and protection associated with
new development, redevelopment, infill, roads, retrofitting of older development, and adopt guidelines,
regulations, and best practices, including rainwater harvesting and reuse, to achieve those
improvements.

5.5 Coordinate efforts with the Maryland Department of the Environment and other State and County
agencies and municipalities to meet their separate MS4 Permit requirements and develop TMDL
implementation plans for pollutant sources not covered by the County’s Permit.

5.6 Use results from approved water quality implementation plans, watershed studies, Special Protection
Areas, and State and County water resource monitoring to inform any needed changes to development
review requirements.

5.7 Identify and pursue priority implementation for those recommendations of the County’s Climate
Protection Plan and any subsequent efforts of the Sustainability Working Group that have direct benefits
on water quality and quantity.

5.8 Maintain adequate resources and expertise in agencies with water resources responsibilities to meet
evolving water quality regulations.

Policy 6. Maintain effective public outreach and educational programs to convey the vital role of water resources
and water quality in the County’s overall health and sustainability.

Recommendations
6.1 Evaluate existing efforts and implement more effective programs to increase awareness of stormwater as
a valuable and usable resource.

6.2 Enhance stewardship, education, and outreach programs to increase the voluntary implementation of
pollution prevention and runoff management practices.

6.3 Continue the development, refinement, and promotion of online tools to raise awareness and
encourage stewardship of water resources issues.

Water Supply and Wastewater

Policy 7. Continue to ensure adequate and safe water supply and wastewater conveyance throughout areas
served by community systems.

FUNCTIONAL PLAN PLANNIG BOARD DRAFT

Policy 8. Continue to ensure that the Ten-Year Comprehensive Water Supply and Sewerage Systems Plan
supports and is consistent with the General Plan and master and sector plans.

Policy 9. Continue to use the Ten-Year Comprehensive Water Supply and Sewerage Systems Plan to ensure that
water supply and wastewater treatment capacities are sufficient for existing and planned development
and redevelopment.

Policy 10. Continue public outreach and education to increase awareness of drinking water as a resource to be
valued and conserved.

Policy 11. Continue programs and actions to minimize pollutant contributions to surface water and groundwater
water resources

from water and wastewater infrastructure, and meet applicable water quality regulations.

Recommendations

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 11.1 Continue to incorporate progressive technology at wastewater treatment facilities to meet point source
pollution limits, while allowing for planned growth.

11.2 Continue studies and programs to reduce inflow and infiltration into wastewater collection systems.

11.3 Continue programs to reduce sanitary sewer overflows and pipe failures, in accordance with WSSC’s
Consent Decree agreement with EPA.

Policy 12. Continue programs and actions to protect and recharge source water resources.

Recommendations
12.1 Continue to promote and implement local and regional source water planning and recommended
actions to protect the Potomac and Patuxent Rivers as drinking water sources.

12.2 Reduce nitrogen contributions to surface and groundwater from septic systems.

12.3 Continue to address well and septic system issues according to the policies and procedures included in
the Ten-Year Comprehensive Water Supply and Sewerage Systems Plan.

12.4 Resolve the issue of sand mounds and alternative technology septic systems and their effects on land
use and development density in the Agricultural Reserve in the Ten-Year Comprehensive Water Supply
and Sewerage Systems Plan.

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