Manchester, CT Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)

Manchester's Code of Ordinances does not contain a standalone erosion-and-sediment-control chapter; construction-site runoff is folded into Chapter 275, Storm Drainage System Management, adopted May 7, 2019. Section 275-2 defines "construction activity" as any activity associated with construction at a site, "including, but not limited to, clearing and grubbing, grading, excavation, and dewatering," and defines "industrial activity" by reference to activities subject to NPDES industrial permits under 40 C.F.R. § 122.26(b)(14). Section 275-9 requires that "any person subject to an industrial or construction activity NPDES stormwater discharge permit shall comply with all provisions of such permit," and lets the Public Works Department demand proof of compliance before allowing discharges to the municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4).

Section 275-11 goes further, requiring the owner or operator of a commercial or industrial establishment, at their own expense, to provide reasonable protection from accidental discharge of prohibited materials through structural and nonstructural best management practices (BMPs), which the chapter ties to a stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPP) where an NPDES permit requires one. Section 275-10 backs this up with inspection authority: the Public Works Department may enter and inspect any facility subject to Chapter 275, including active construction sites with stormwater discharges, require monitoring equipment, and seek a search warrant if access is refused and there is probable cause to suspect a violation. Compliance with a valid NPDES construction permit is treated as compliance with § 275-11's BMP requirement to the extent practicable.