Burleson, TX Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)

Article IV of Chapter 82 is the City of Burleson's stormwater pollution control article. Section 82-161 states its purposes: keeping contaminated runoff from industrial, commercial, residential, and construction sites out of the MS4 and natural waters, and helping the city meet state and federal stormwater requirements. Under § 82-162 the city engineer implements and enforces the article, except on public works projects, where the director of the city department running the project does so. Either official can delegate powers to other city personnel.

The core rule in § 82-165(a) is a flat prohibition: only stormwater goes into the MS4. Under § 82-165(b), a person charged with a violation can raise an affirmative defense by showing the discharge was composed entirely of one or more listed categories. The list includes firefighting flows, agricultural stormwater runoff, lawn watering and landscape irrigation, uncontaminated foundation, crawl space, and footing drain flow, individual residential car washing (external surfaces only), and street washing water free of soap, detergent, degreaser, and solvent. Section 82-165(d) puts the burden of proof on the person responsible for the discharge. Under § 82-165(c), the defense disappears once the director has determined that the flow is a pollutant source, has given written notice, and the discharge continues more than 15 calendar days afterward.

Section 82-166 adds specific bans that apply even to flows that look harmless. Banned substances include used motor oil, antifreeze, and other vehicle fluids, household hazardous waste, grease trap waste, garbage and yard waste, commercial carwash wastewater, ready-mixed concrete and mortar, swimming pool filter backwash, and runoff from animal pens. Section 82-166(e) prohibits connecting an interior floor drain to the MS4, and § 82-166(h) prohibits putting stormwater into the sanitary sewer. A retail dealer who sells more than 500 gallons of oil in containers a year to the public must post a used oil sign under § 82-166(g)(3).