Auburn, AL Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)

Article IV of Chapter 7 implements Auburn's obligations under its municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) NPDES permit. Section 7-105 prohibits three categories of conduct: illicit discharge of pollutants to the MS4 or its receiving waters; discharge of storm water associated with industrial activity except under a valid NPDES permit; and spilling, dumping or disposing of any material other than storm water into the MS4. Section 7-106 separately bans illicit connections, including sewage lines tied into storm drains, and makes clear that a connection made legally in the past is still a violation today if it continues.

A list of common flows is expressly exempted under § 7-107: water line flushing, landscape irrigation, air conditioning condensate, footing and foundation drains, lawn watering, residential car washing, and dechlorinated pool discharges under one part per million chlorine, among others. The Water Resource Management Department administers the article under § 7-104 and can enter and inspect any regulated facility under § 7-108, requiring monitoring equipment where necessary and seeking a search warrant if access is refused. Industrial and high-risk facilities must implement best management practices under § 7-109 and file a BMP plan on request within 10 days.

Enforcement runs through § 7-119: the department issues a written notice of violation and can order cleanup, abatement, monitoring or a fine covering administrative and remediation costs, then issue a municipal court citation if the violation continues, with each day counted as a separate offense unless the state's ADEM is already prosecuting the same violation.