Prince George's County

NPDES MS4 Permit and Progress

2022 NPDES MS4 Permit

The most recent Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit (issued December 2, 2022), mandates Prince George’s County (the County) to:

  • Develop geographic information system mapping on a watershed basis.
  • Develop management programs to address runoff from new and significant redevelopment, construction site discharges, illegal storm drain system connections, and road maintenance operations.
  • Maintain legal authority to control storm drain system pollution.
  • Provide education and outreach regarding stormwater pollution.
  • Use a combination of chemical, physical and biological monitoring to characterize urban stormwater.
  • Develop litter and trash reduction strategies.
  • Implement environmental site design technologies for new and redevelopment projects to the maximum extent practicable.
  • Develop watershed restoration plans to address stormwater wasteload assessments (WLAs) established under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-approved TMDL estimates.
Community tree planting in Prince George’s County
Community tree planting in Prince George’s County

Annual Reporting

The County is responsible for providing updates to the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) about the progress of their restoration activities. The MS4 permit requires the County to submit an annual report that summarizes the County’s efforts toward meeting their NPDES MS4 permit. This report covers all activities described in the MS4 permit, including total maximum daily load (TMDL) goals. See the latest available annual report via the link below. (Note: Annual reports are available after MDE reviews them and provides comments.)

Under the 2022 MS4 Permit, the County must annually develop a countywide watershed implementation plan (WIP) to track progress toward approved TMDLs. Visit the link below to see the latest available annual report:

Tracking Tools

The Clean Water Partnership (CWP) is an agreement established between the County and Corvias to retrofit over 4,000 acres of impervious surfaces using green infrastructure. This community-focused program works to address the water quality of the Chesapeake Bay, while simultaneously focusing on the needs of the County’s residents and local businesses. Through the County’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and CWP, the County has been implementing restoration programs and projects to reduce amounts of nutrients, sediment, bacteria, and other pollutants in stormwater runoff. Below find two tools used to track the County’s progress and provide information about restoration projects:

  • Clean Water Map - A map that provides information about restoration projects throughout the County's watersheds.
  • Prince George’s County Clean Water Program Report - A story map that summarizes Prince George's County’s progress toward reducing polluted stormwater runoff to provide cleaner, healthier waterways for County residents, communities, and the environment.
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