Apex, NC Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)
Key Facts
- Illicit discharge penalty
- $100 to $500+ per day
- Repeat offender penalty
- one category level higher
- Illicit connection removal deadline
- 1 year, no grace if hazardous
- Stormwater fee basis
- 2,700 sq ft impervious = 1 ERU
- Enforcing agency
- Environmental Programs Division
Summary
Apex prohibits any non-stormwater discharge into its municipal storm sewer system and bans illicit drainage connections, enforcing violations with civil penalties running up to $500+ per day under the town's illicit discharge ordinance.
No person shall cause or allow the discharge, emission, disposal, pouring or pumping directly or indirectly to any stormwater conveyance, the waters of the state, or upon the land in manner and amount that the substance is likely to reach a stormwater conveyance or the waters of the state, any liquid, solid, gas or other substance other than stormwater... The construction, use, maintenance or continued existence of illicit connections is prohibited.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 3).
Full Breakdown
Apex's Town Code makes it unlawful to discharge anything but stormwater into the town's municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4), and bans illicit connections outright, even ones built before the ordinance, which must be removed within one year unless they carry hazardous materials, in which case there is no grace period at all. The rule implements the town's NPDES Phase II stormwater permit and applies within Apex's corporate limits. Separately, nearly all developed land in town, public or private, pays a monthly stormwater utility fee based on impervious surface area (2,700 sq ft equals one equivalent residential unit), funding pipes, ditches, and drainage maintenance; only undeveloped land, public right-of-way, and a handful of other listed categories are exempt.
Violations & Fines
Discharging yard waste or small amounts of household products draws a Category I penalty up to $100/day; other illicit discharges or connections run $500/day (Category II) or higher for repeat offenders, plus 25% more in the watershed protection overlay.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Apex's stormwater discharge ban apply outside the town limits?
Do I owe a stormwater fee even if I'm not on town water or sewer?
Who enforces Apex's stormwater discharge rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Apex
Compare Apex to another location·View the North Carolina environmental rules overview
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Stormwater Management in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Wake County handle stormwater management.