A. Illegal Discharges: No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged into the Municipal storm sewer system or watercourses any materials, including but not limited to pollutants or waters containing any pollutants that cause or contribute to a violation of applicable water quality standards, other than stormwater. The commencement, conduct or continuance of any illegal discharge to the storm sewer system is prohibited except as described as follows.
B. Discharge Exemptions:
1. The following discharges are exempt from discharge prohibitions established by this chapter: water line flushing or other potable water sources, landscape irrigation or lawn watering, diverted stream flows, rising groundwater, groundwater infiltration to storm drains, uncontaminated pumped groundwater, foundation or footing drains (not including active groundwater dewatering systems), crawl space pumps, air conditioning condensation, springs, non-commercial washing of vehicles, natural riparian habitat or wetland flows, swimming pools (the water must be allowed to sit 7 days without the addition of chlorine to allow for chlorine to evaporate before discharging to the storm sewer system), fire fighting activities, and any other water source not containing pollutants, and the use of fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides for agricultural or landscaping purposes when applied for their intended purpose in accordance with label directions and with all applicable local, State and Federal ordinances, laws and regulations.
2. Discharges specified in writing by the authorized enforcement agency as being necessary to protect public health and safety.
3. Dye testing is an allowable discharge, but requires a verbal notification to the City Engineer 48-hours prior to the start of the test.
4. The prohibition shall not apply to any non-stormwater discharge permitted under an NPDES permit, waiver, or waste discharge order issued to the discharger and administered under the authority of the MPCA or Federal Environmental Protection Agency, provided that the discharger is in full compliance with all requirements of the permit, waiver, or order and other applicable laws and regulations, and provided that written approval has been granted for any discharge to the storm sewer system.
C. Illicit Connections:
1. The construction, use, maintenance or continued existence of illicit connections to the storm sewer system is prohibited.
2. This prohibition expressly includes, without limitation, illicit connections made in the past, regardless of whether the connection was permissible under law or practices applicable or prevailing at the time of connection.
3. A person is considered to be in violation of this chapter if the person connects a line conveying sewage to the storm sewer system, or allows such a connection to continue. (Ord. 2018-04, 1-16-2018)