Engineering

You will need to provide an address that we can use to determine whether water and sewer is available, or, if not, the distance from your property when you contact us.

The proposed capital projects for the next five years are identified in the Budget/CIP document. If your area is not included, then a separate petition for service can be made as outlined on the Petition for Public Water/Wastewater Service page.

That process is governed by Article 17 of the Anne Arundel County Code. A three-step process is required by the State Stormwater Management Act of 2007.

In older subdivisions, stormwater management ponds are typically maintained by the County’s department of Public Works (DPW). In newer residential developments (typically those approved after 2010) Stormwater management facilities that provide SWM solely for public facilities such as roads etc. and are owned and/or maintained by the County, may be designated as public. All other facilities are considered private. (AAC SWM Practices & Procedures Manual Chapter 8.1). Maintenance on those private facilities is the responsibility of a Homeowner’s Association or the private property owner, and a private Stormwater Management Maintenance Agreement has been recorded that set out those maintenance responsibilities. Stormwater management facilities in commercial, industrial and multi-family developments are privately maintained by the property owner.

Any complaints about work being done under an approved permit should be directed to the Department of Inspections & Permits at (410) 222-7780 or ipmailbox@aacounty.org. Environmental complaints after hours can use (410) 222-7777.

Complaints about flooding should be directed to the appropriate Maintenance District of the Department of Public Works. 

If your project involves the construction of any infrastructure that will be maintained by the County following the completion of constriction, you will need a Public Works Agreement. That Agreement is generally part of a Subdivision or Site Development Plan process, and you will be guided through the specific requirements by an engineer from the Department of Inspections and Permits.

Residential Driveway Guidelines are found at Right of Way Permit.

If an Onsite Plumbing Permit is required, the applicant should leave at least three copies of plans with the Engineer of the Day (EOD) in the Department of Inspections and Permits. The original reviewer, or the EOD will be responsible for reviewing the plans. Turnaround time is three (3) days. Three sets of water and sewer site plans are required. All private water and sewer lines must be highlighted on the plans. Review includes the private water and sewer system up to five feet from the building. The water and sewer checklist is used to review the construction materials, slope, spacing of cleanouts, and pipe cover. If everything is in order, the plans are stamped and signed by the reviewer.

Recorded plats can be searched at Archives of Maryland.

Environmental Site Design, or “ESD”, relies on integrating site design, natural hydrology, and smaller controls to capture and treat runoff. The regulation, effective in 2009, is meant to refocus stormwater design from centralized management to more effective planning and implementation of ESD. Your site designer will determine what existing resources are located on your site that should be protected, and should design the site accordingly, including recommendations for the size, type, and number of stormwater management facilities that are required. In general, centralized ponds are now discouraged in favor of smaller facilities located throughout the site in an effort to treat the runoff nearer to the source.

The Anne Arundel County Department of Health regulates private wells and septic systems in the County. More information can be found at Anne Arundel Department of Health's Wells and Septic Systems.