Clinton Township, MI Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)
Key Facts
- Discharge clearance
- 5 feet (1.52 m) from building walls
- Sanitary sewer connection
- Downspouts/footing drains prohibited from sanitary sewer
- Sump pumps
- May not discharge onto any road surface
- Enforcing department
- Department of Public Works
- Cost recovery
- Unpaid drainage repairs become a property tax lien
Summary
Clinton Township's Drainage chapter bars connecting roof downspouts, footing drains or other surface runoff to the sanitary sewer and instead requires storm water to discharge at least five feet from every building wall. Section 1470.075 sets that mandatory discharge point, and the Department of Public Works enforces drainage standards under Chapter 1470.
All buildings, existing and proposed, shall be equipped with adequate eavestroughs, gutters and downspouts, splashguards, and similar connections, extended so as to discharge storm water through an impermeable structure or impermeable surface to a discharge point at least five feet (1-52/100 (1.52) meters) perpendicularly away from all building walls. The point of discharge to the grounds shall slope away from the building so that surface water will be effectively disposed of away from the building. Building service drains and other storm discharge facilities shall be designed, installed and maintained to avoid discharge upon paved surfaces and public rights of way designed for pedestrian and vehicular traffic, and the owner and/or occupants or builders, jointly and severally, shall provide for an appropriate design and/or maintenance to avoid hazards of freezing and thawing on paved surfaces.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-25: Local legislation current through May 26, 2026).
Full Breakdown
075(b) prohibits connecting any roof downspout, foundation or footing drain, areaway drain, or other source of surface runoff or groundwater to a building sewer that is, in turn, tied directly or indirectly to the public sanitary sewer, and bars maintaining any such connection once made. 52 meters) perpendicularly away from every building wall, with the ground sloped away from the building so surface water drains off effectively. Storm discharge facilities must also be designed and maintained to avoid dumping water onto paved surfaces or public rights-of-way used by pedestrians and vehicles, and owners, occupants and builders share joint responsibility for avoiding freeze-thaw hazards on those paved surfaces.
065, including an eight-inch enclosed drainage line along side and rear lot lines and a ban on directing sump pump discharge onto any road surface, and drainage fees and a Drainage Fund used for capital improvements. 07.
Violations & Fines
Connecting a downspout, footing drain or other stormwater source to the sanitary sewer, or discharging storm water without meeting the five-foot perpendicular clearance and grading requirements of Section 1470.075(c), violates the Drainage chapter and is subject to the penalty at Section 1470.99. The Township can also bill a property owner for maintenance or repair of drainage facilities it must perform after thirty days' unaddressed notice, collected as a lien with the next tax bill.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I connect my downspout to the sanitary sewer in Clinton Township?
How far must storm water discharge from my house in Clinton Township?
Where can sump pumps discharge under Clinton Township's drainage rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Clinton Township
Compare Clinton Township to another location·View the Michigan environmental rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Stormwater Management in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Macomb County handle stormwater management.