Prince George's County, MD Landscaping Rules: Rainwater Harvesting (2026)
Key Facts
- Rain barrel rebate
- $2/gallon, 50-gallon minimum (residential)
- Cistern rebate
- $2/gallon, 250-gallon minimum
- Lifetime cap
- $6,000 residential / $20,000 commercial-nonprofit
- Program administrator
- Department of the Environment
- Pre-approval
- Not required for rain barrels
Summary
Prince George's County pays $2 per gallon of stored capacity for rain barrels and cisterns under its Stormwater Management and Residential Resilience Retrofit Program, up to a $6,000 lifetime cap per residential property, with no pre-approval needed for rain barrels.
Sec. 32-201.03. - Rebates. (d)Lifetime rebate ceilings per property are $6,000 for residential projects and $20,000 for commercial, multi-family dwelling, home-owners associations, condominium associations, civic associations, non-profit entities and not-for-profit organizations. An applicant may do multiple projects until the rebate ceilings are met....(j)The following techniques will be made available for rebates: ... Rain Barrels $2/gallon stored (must capture 50 gallons) [residential] / $2/gallon stored (Must capture 100 gallons) [commercial]. Cisterns $2/gallon stored, 250 gallons minimum [residential] / $2/gallon stored, 250 gallons minimum [commercial].
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 2026 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
01 establishes the Stormwater Management and Residential Resilience Retrofit Program, run by the Department of the Environment, to give property owners an incentive to install green stormwater retrofits and help the County meet Clean Water Act obligations. 03(j) sets the rebate at $2 per gallon of storage capacity for rain barrels, which must capture at least 50 gallons for a residential property or 100 gallons for a commercial, multifamily, HOA, condo, civic association, or nonprofit property, and the same $2-per-gallon rate for cisterns with a 250-gallon minimum for either category.
03(d) caps lifetime rebates per property at $6,000 for residential projects and $20,000 for commercial and organizational projects, though an owner can combine multiple techniques, including urban tree canopy at $150 a tree, rain gardens at $10 a square foot, or green roofs, to reach that ceiling. 03(b)-(c). 02(d)(3). 04(b).
Violations & Fines
This is a rebate program rather than a mandate, so it carries no fine for property owners who simply skip it. An applicant who submits a project that the Department finds out of compliance with its approved application or best-practice guidelines under Section 32-201.02(d)(3) will be denied the rebate, and commercial or public-use applicants who sign the required operations and maintenance agreement under Section 32-201.03(g) remain bound to maintain the installed project over its useful life.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Prince George's County pay for a rain barrel rebate?
Do I need County approval before buying a rain barrel to get the rebate?
Can I get a cistern rebate if my HOA already runs its own rebate program?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Prince George's County
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