(a) PROHIBITION OF ILLEGAL DISCHARGES: No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged, an illicit discharge into the MS4. The commencement, conduct, or continuance of any illicit discharge to the MS4 is prohibited except as described below:
(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 ground water, ground water infiltration to storm drains, uncontaminated pumped ground water, 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 wet-land flows, swimming pools (if dechlorinated - typically less than one PPM chlorine), fire fighting activities, and any other water source not containing Pollutants.
(2) Discharges specified in writing by the City of Sandusky as being necessary to protect public health and safety.
(3) Dye testing (plumbing related) is an allowable discharge, but requires a verbal notification to the City of Sandusky prior to the time of the test.
(4) The prohibition shall not apply to any non-storm water discharge permitted under an NPDES permit, waiver, or waste discharge order issued to the discharger and administered under the authority of the 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 drain system.
(b) PROHIBITION OF ILLEGAL CONNECTIONS:
(1) The construction, use, maintenance, or continued existence of illegal connections to the MS4 is prohibited.
(2) This prohibition expressly includes, without limitation, illegal 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 illicit discharges to the MS4, or allows such a connection to continue.
(Ord. 09-070. Passed 8-24-09.)