(A) Prohibition of illegal discharges. No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged into the municipal storm drain system or waters of the state 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 storm water. The commencement, conduct or continuance of any illegal discharge to the storm drain system is prohibited, except as described as follows:
(1) Except as otherwise provided herein, 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 wetland flows, swimming pools (if de-chlorinated - typically less than one PPM chlorine), firefighting activities and any other water source not containing pollutants;
(2) Discharges specified in writing by the MPCA 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-storm water 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 drain system; and
(5) Sump pumps may not discharge water directed toward an abutting street, except in cases where no practical alternative exists.
(B) Prohibition of illicit connections.
(1) The construction, use, maintenance or continued existence of illicit connections to the storm drain 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 MS4, or allows such a connection to continue.
(C) Pet waste management. All pet owners and keepers are required to immediately and properly dispose of their pet’s solid waste deposited on any property, public or private, not owned or possessed by that person.
(D) Salt storage. All facilities storing salt must require the following:
(1) Designated salt storage areas must be covered or indoors;
(2) Designated salt storage areas must be located on an impervious surface;
(3) Implementation of practices to reduce exposure when transferring material.
(Ord. 79A, passed 10-21-2015; Ord. 2022-04, passed 12-7-2022) Penalty, see § 53.99