Sec. 26-178.  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 standard, other than stormwater.

 

The commencement, conduct or continuance of any illegal discharge to the storm drain system or watercourses is prohibited except as described as follows:

 

(1)       The following discharges are exempt from discharge prohibitions established by this article:

 

(a)       water line flushing or other potable water sources;

(b)       landscape irrigation or lawn watering;

(c)       diverted stream flows;

(d)       rising ground water, ground water infiltration to storm drains;

(e)       uncontaminated pumped groundwater, foundation or footing drains (not including active groundwater dewatering systems), crawl space pumps;

(f)        air conditioning condensation;

(g)       springs;

(h)       non-commercial washing of vehicles;

(i)        natural riparian habitat or wet-land flows;

(j)        swimming pools (if dechlorinated - typically less than one PPM chlorine);

(k)       fire fighting training activities; and

(l)        any other water source not containing pollutants.

 

(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 authorized enforcement agency prior to the time of test.

 

(4)       The prohibition shall not apply to any non-stormwater discharge permitted under a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System 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. 

 

Source:  Ord. No. 5086, § 1, 8-3-09; Ord. No. 5237, § 1, 12-3-12; Ord. No. 5624, § 7, 8-5-19;