Bossier Parish, LA Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)
Key Facts
- Enforcing agency
- Director of Public Works
- Maximum fine
- $500.00 per day per offense
- Governing law
- Chapter 122, Article IV (Ord. No. 4630, 2016)
- Appeal window
- 10 days to appeal a notice of violation
- Exempt discharges
- water line flushing, irrigation, AC condensate, footing drains
Summary
Bossier Parish's MS4 stormwater ordinance bars discharging anything but stormwater into the parish's storm drain system, covering ditches, catch basins and channels across unincorporated Bossier Parish. The Police Jury's director of public works administers the program, investigates illicit connections, and can suspend a violator's access to the system. Violators face fines up to $500 per day per offense under Chapter 122, Article IV.
(a)Prohibition of illegal discharges. Unless expressly authorized or exempted by this article, no person shall throw, drain, or otherwise discharge, cause, or allow others under their control to throw, drain, or otherwise discharge into the municipal storm drain system (MS4) any pollutants or waters containing any pollutants, other than stormwater.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 122, Article IV of the Bossier Parish Code of Ordinances, adopted by Ord. No. 4630 on October 5, 2016, prohibits discharging any pollutant other than stormwater into the parish's municipal storm drain system (MS4), defined to include publicly owned roads, streets, catch basins, curbs, gutters, ditches, man-made channels, storm drains and dry wells in unincorporated Bossier Parish (Sec. 122-95). A short list of non-stormwater discharges is exempted, including water line flushing, landscaping irrigation, foundation drains, air conditioning condensate, individual residential car washing and firefighting flows, but only while the director of public works has not determined the source is a substantial pollutant contributor.
Sec. 122-95(b) separately bans illicit connections to the MS4, retroactively reaching connections made before the ordinance existed. The director of public works administers and enforces the article (Sec. 122-94) and may suspend a violator's MS4 access without prior notice in an emergency, or terminate it after notice and an opportunity to petition for reconsideration (Sec. 122-96). Sec. 122-97 adds specific prohibitions on releasing refuse, motor oil, industrial waste, hazardous waste, vehicle-wash wastewater, concrete washout and pesticide or fertilizer runoff into the MS4 or onto streets, alleys and drainage structures that feed it.
The director may issue a written notice of violation, and noncompliance beyond 30 days after that notice is treated as a separate violation for each additional day (Sec. 122-111(a)). A person may appeal a notice of violation within ten days, with a hearing before the director within 15 days (Sec. 122-114).
Violations & Fines
Willfully or negligently violating the article, including illicit discharges, illicit connections, or specific prohibited releases, is punishable by a fine of up to $500.00 per day per offense imposed by the director of public works (Sec. 122-111(c)). The director can also assess liability for the parish's actual surveillance, sampling, abatement and remediation costs, plus reasonable attorney's fees, against the violator (Sec. 122-111(d)). Emergency suspension of MS4 access is separate from, and does not bar, other enforcement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I wash my car in my driveway in unincorporated Bossier Parish?
Who enforces the parish's stormwater rules?
What happens if I don't fix a stormwater violation after being notified?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bossier Parish
Compare Bossier Parish to another location·View the Louisiana environmental rules overview
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