No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged into the city 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 except as described as follows:
(A) Discharges from the following activities will not be considered a source of pollutants to the storm drain system and to waters of the United States when properly managed to ensure that no potential pollutants are present, and therefore they shall not be considered illegal discharges unless determined to cause a violation of the provisions of this chapter: potable water line flushing; uncontaminated pumped groundwater and other discharges from potable water sources; landscape irrigation and lawn watering; diverted stream flows; rising groundwater; groundwater infiltration to the storm drain system; uncontaminated foundation and footing drains; uncontaminated water from crawl space pumps; air conditioning condensation; uncontaminated non-industrial roof drains; springs; individual residential and occasional non-commercial car washing; flows from riparian habitats and wetlands; dechlorinated swimming pool discharges; street wash waters; and flows from fire-fighting.
(B) 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 by the State of North Carolina 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 by the city for any discharge to the storm drain system.
(C) With written concurrence of the City Council, the city may exempt in writing other non-stormwater discharges, which are not a source of pollutants to the storm drain system or waters of the United States.
(Ord. 2019-O-72, passed 9-10-2019)