Residential and Agricultural Properties

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You may reduce your WQPC amount. Use the WQPC forms to

  • apply for a credit or hardship reduction
  • submit an appeal
  • request to combine accounts for adjoining properties

Applications, submissions, and requests are due September 30.

Detached home: a free-standing residence that does not share a wall with another property.

Townhome, known as a rowhouse or attached house: a semi-detached property that shares at least one wall with another property.

The WQPC is determined with this formula

Water Quality Protection Charge for a property = (Total square feet of impervious area / ERU) * Rate

See rate, tier, and impervious surface details.

Properties are put into tiers based on how much impervious surface is on the property.

Most residential property owners will pay $136.50 or less.

See the WQPC calculation for your property. This includes the aerial image used to determine your charge.

Impervious surface for an individual townhome may include shared and private areas

To determine the WQPC for an individual townhome:

  1. Add up the total shared impervious surface area between all connected properties. This includes building area, communal parking lots, community pools, etc. The total shared surface area is called the “footprint”.
  2. Divide the “footprint” by the number of connected properties. The result is your property’s share of the WQPC.
  3. If your property has any private areas not shared with other townhomes (private areas can include a backyard patio or a basketball court): Add the impervious surface area of these private spaces to your WQPC calculation.

Impervious surface for agricultural properties has more exceptions

The impervious surface area of an agricultural property is only based on the residence. See additional agricultural property surfaces that are not included in the WQPC.

WQPC calculation examples

Property examples

Pervious and impervious surfaces for detached homes. Details are linked in text on this page.
Pervious and impervious surfaces for townhomes. Details are linked in text on this page.
Pervious and impervious surfaces for agricultural properties. Details are linked in text on this page.

You may reduce your charge

Stormwater Management Credit

See the Water Quality Protection Charge Credit Procedures Manual (PDF).

Credits of up to 80% off the Water Quality Protection Charge are available to property owners who own and maintain on-site stormwater management practices in accordance with the maintenance requirements of the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection. 

The credit is based on the volume of water captured.

Stormwater management practices are landscaping techniques or structures that help reduce stormwater runoff, prevent stream damage and flooding and erosion.

Types of stormwater management practices eligible for credit include:

Do you have a stormwater management practice on your property?

Yes, my practice is registered with the County!

You can apply for a credit. A credit is a reduction off your annual WQPC.

The property owner must maintain stormwater management practices in accordance with the maintenance requirements of the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

No, but I want to.

The RainScapes program works with property owners to install stormwater management practices like rain gardens, conservation landscaping and green roofs. You could even receive financial incentives!

I'm not sure.

Your property may have practices that were installed by a previous owner or during construction. If you have a garden on your property, it might be a RainScape.

Search your address to see if you already have a practice registered with the County.

Search our map to see if your residential or agricultural property has stormwater management facilities registered with the County.

Hardship Reduction

A hardship exemption allows a property owner a reduced charge due to financial limitations.

To qualify for an exemption

  • your household income must not exceed 170% of the Federal poverty level, or
  • you must be approved for benefits under the Maryland Energy Assistance Program for the current billing year.

See the U.S. Federal Poverty Guidelines.

Appeals and Contiguous Single Owner Properties

Appeals

If a property owner believes that the WQPC was assigned or calculated incorrectly, they may petition the Director of the Department of Environmental Protection for an adjustment by submitting a written request, using the appeal form.

Within 60 days after receiving the appeal petition, the Director will

  • review the WQPC assigned to the property and
  • make a written determination of whether the property owner's request for an adjustment of the charge should be granted or denied.

Requests to combine adjoining properties

Property owners can apply for combining contiguous single-owner property accounts into one. Contiguous properties have no separation, such as a road, between properties.

If the property spans multiple tax accounts, you can appeal to have the separate accounts combined into one for the purposes of calculating the WQPC.

Petition the Director of the Department of Environmental Protection for an adjustment by submitting a written request, using the online appeals form.