Our Bay: The tax credit they're not telling you about

Rain barrels and other environmentally friendly landscaping features such as rain gardens and porous pavers help homeowners conserve water and reduce pollution. And now there's a tax credit available to help sweeten the deal.

Anne Arundel County property owners now can receive property tax credits equivalent to 50 percent of the purchase price of such items, 10 percent per year for up to five years.

The County Council approved the tax credit earlier this year, as something of a compromise after the council defeated a tax on property owners to pay for projects to undo damage to streams from polluted...