(a) Prohibition of illegal discharges. No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged into the storm drain 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 drain system is prohibited; however, the following discharges are exempt from prohibition as described:
(1) The discharges and flows from firefighting activities if they are identified as not being a significant source of pollutants to the waters of the state.
(2) Discharges specified in writing by the City Engineer as being necessary to protect public health and safety.
(3) Dye testing, when there has been verbal notification to the City Engineer and State Department of Environmental Quality Procedures have been followed.
(4) Discharges 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.
(5) The following discharges or flows if they are identified as not being a significant contributor to violations of water quality standards: water line flushing and discharges from potable water sources.; landscape irrigation runoff, lawn watering runoff, and irrigation waters; diverted stream flows and flows from riparian habitats and wetlands; rising groundwaters and springs; uncontaminated pumped groundwater, except for groundwater cleanups specifically authorized by NPDES permits; foundation drains, water from crawl space pumps, footing drains and basement sump pumps; air conditioning condensation; waters from noncommercial car washing; street wash water; dechlorinated swimming pool water from single-, two- or three-family residences. Other swimming pools shall not be discharged to stormwater or to surface waters of the state without NPDES permit authorization from the MDEQ.
(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 article if the person connects a line conveying sewage to a storm drain system or MS4 or allows such a connection to continue.
(c) Prohibition of Direct Dumping or Disposal of Materials into the MS4. The direct dumping of materials or discharges into the MS4 is prohibited except for those illicit discharges identified as not being a significant contributor to violations of water quality standards.
(Ord. 2019-03. Passed 4-2-19.)