An illegal discharge might be a spill from a traffic accident, a person rinsing a paintbrush in the gutter, or a floor drain in a building connected to the storm drainage system.

Illegal Discharge Reporting Hotline 303-441-4444

Household Hazardous Waste Hotline 303-441-4800

Illegal Discharge Regulations
The Keep it Clean Partners have adapted and adopted the Keep it Clean Partners template Illicit Discharge Ordinance in their communities. The ordinances address issues regarding all water entering the storm drainage system. The storm drainage system is designed to transport precipitation from rain or snowmelt untreated to our local creeks and streams. However, stormwater picks up pollutants as it flows over the ground or paved areas and carries these pollutants into the storm drainage system. The ordinances establish methods for controlling the introduction of pollutants into the storm drainage system and is a requirement of the Keep it Clean Partner’s Municipal Stormwater Discharge Permits issued by the State of Colorado in March 2003. The objectives of the ordinances are to:

• Control pollutants to the storm drainage system.
• Prohibit illegal connections and discharges to the storm drainage system.
• Establish legal authority to carry out inspections, surveillance, monitoring, and enforcement procedures necessary to ensure compliance with this ordinance.
• Promote public awareness of the hazards involved in the improper discharge of trash, yard waste, lawn chemicals, pet waste, wastewater, grease, oil, petroleum products, cleaning products, paint products, hazardous waste, sediment, and other pollutants into the storm drainage system.

The Keep it Clean Partners individual Partners’ ordinances can be found on the websites listed below:

PARTNER (each opens in new window) ORDINANCE ADOPTED Boulder County September 13, 2005 Boulder December 6, 2004 Longmont (Chapter 14.26) January 12, 2004 Louisville (Title 13; water/sewer chapter 13.36) December 21, 2004 Superior (Chapter 11, Article IV) December 13, 2004 Erie November 9, 2004

		Fines up to $1,000 per day for ordinance violations may be imposed. It is envisioned that this new authority will be used for repeat violations and for significant violations.
Prohibitions No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged into the storm drainage system or watercourses any materials other than stormwater. The construction, use, maintenance, or continued existence of illicit connections to the storm drainage system is prohibited. It shall be unlawful to cause materials to be deposited in such a manner or location as to constitute a threatened discharge into storm drains, gutters, or waters of the State. Materials that are no longer contained in a pipe, tank, or other container are considered to be threatened discharges unless they are actively being cleaned up. No person shall maliciously destroy or interfere with structural controls in place to protect water quality.