Our wAAter: The Anne Arundel Clean Water Program

Begins early 2020

Our wAAter is a program to develop a balanced approach to achieve water quality goals in Anne Arundel County.

in Anne Arundel County

It’s one of our most basic and precious resources. And the quality of our water can directly effect our quality of life. There are many things to love about calling Anne Arundel County home, from the natural beauty to the close-knit communities. For nearly four hundred years, the residents of Anne Arundel County have worked together to build and protect one of America’s great regions. Just as the generations before us were entrusted with preserving and protecting our resources, now is our time.

Today, we are faced with important challenges:

Preserve and restore the water quality of the Bay

Protect our communities

And as we have always done, we will unite to use our strength, ingenuity, and resources to keep our communities thriving.

What is ?

Our wAAter is a program to develop a balanced approach to achieve water quality goals in Anne Arundel County. The program is led by the Anne Arundel County Department of Public Works (DPW) based on guidance from the Maryland Department of Environment (MDE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and consists of long-term strategies to reduce pollutants to the Chesapeake Bay. Pollutant reduction is focused on the removal of nitrogen, as excessive nitrogen reduces the Bay's overall water quality.

New Program Initiatives

The Our wAAter Program involves three key components to help reach water quality goals:


Implementation of a septic-to-sewer conversion program to reduce pollutants from septic systems.

Innovative strategies to reduce discharges from Water Reclamation Facilities while also improving supply resiliency.

Improving performance of privately owned, small community based systems.

Connecting to public sewer

To help meet these goals, the County is creating a program to encourage existing communities to consider the benefits of sewer connections and to facilitate interested communities in making the conversion to public sewer. This program will prioritize areas of the County that are vulnerable to environmental and health issues.

Septic to Sewer Program Eligibility

The program will be open for application from all County residents with existing septic systems. A set of prioritization criteria will be developed to enhance program effectiveness.


Properties in areas vulnerable to operational problems with septic systems.

Properties within the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area.

Properties in close proximity to existing sewer infrastructure.

Projects expected to be highly cost effective for pollutant removal.

Anne Arundel County has been a leader in developing and implementing water quality improvement projects. Learn more about our past efforts and successes below.

Septic Task Force

Building upon the 2008 Septic Strategic Plan, the County has held a series of meetings with community representatives to assist with the development of recommendations and to inform decision-making for the septic to sewer conversion program.

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Enhanced Nutrient Removal Upgrades

The County owns and operates seven major Water Reclamation Facilities to process wastewater. Starting in 2006, the County has invested $249 million to upgrade the process for each of these facilities to meet enhanced nutrient level requirements. These upgrades have reduced nutrient levels such as phosphorus by 71% per year and nitrogen by 69% per year. All enhanced nutrient removal treatment plant upgrades are operational as of 2017.

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Managing Stormwater to Improve Water Quality

The Watershed Protection and Restoration Program (WPRP) is continuously implementing water quality improvement projects, such as stream and wetland restoration, outfall restoration, and stormwater facility retrofits, in conjunction with non-profit and other private sector partners, to enhance habitat and the health of local waterways. Additionally, the WPRP is engaged in replacing and repairing stormwater collection and conveyance infrastructure, such as culverts and storm drains, to protect public safety and property.

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