De Pere, WI Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)
Key Facts
- What's banned
- Any non-stormwater discharge to the MS4
- Penalty
- $1.00-$1,000.00 forfeiture per occurrence
- Appeal deadline
- 7 days to Board of Public Works
- Spill-notice deadline
- Next business day for non-hazardous releases
- Enforcing officer
- Director of Public Works
Summary
De Pere bans putting anything but stormwater into its municipal storm sewer system (MS4) under City Code Sec. 29-4(a)(1), and bars illicit connections outright. The director of public works enforces the rule with warning notices, written orders and emergency shutoffs, and a violator faces a forfeiture of $1.00 to $1,000.00 per occurrence under Sec. 29-9(e).
(a)Prohibition of illicit discharges.(1)No person shall throw, drain, or otherwise discharge, cause, or allow others under its control to throw, drain, or otherwise discharge into the MS4 any pollutants or waters containing any pollutants, other than stormwater. ... (e)Prosecution and penalties. In addition to other penalties as may be provided herein, any person who violates this chapter shall be subject to a forfeiture of not less than $1.00 nor more than $1,000.00 per occurrence. Each act of violation and every day upon which a violation occurs or continues constitutes a separate violation.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 9).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 29 defines an illicit discharge as anything entering the MS4 that is not entirely stormwater, and Sec. 29-4(a)(1) makes it unlawful to throw, drain or otherwise discharge pollutants into that system. The chapter carves out narrow exceptions: water line flushing, residential car washing, foundation and footing drains, firefighting flows, and discharges covered by a state WPDES permit. Dye testing is allowed only after verbal notice to the director of public works and the DNR at least one day ahead. Illicit connections, including sewage lines tied into the storm system, are flatly prohibited under Sec.
29-4(b), and an undocumented drain must be located and identified by the property owner once the director serves written notice. Enforcement runs through Sec. 29-9: the director can issue a warning notice, then a formal notice of violation naming the violator, describing the remedial work required, a compliance schedule, and the penalty at stake, with a right to appeal to the board of public works within three days of service. Where a discharge threatens an imminent danger to public health, safety or the environment, the director may issue an emergency cease-and-desist order or suspend a property's MS4 access without prior notice.
Anyone who fails to notify the city of a hazardous-materials release, or who reports a non-hazardous spill later than the next business day, is separately in violation. Appeals of a notice of violation go to the board of public works within seven days, with a hearing held within 30 days.
Violations & Fines
Sec. 29-9(e) sets a forfeiture of $1.00 to $1,000.00 per occurrence, and every day a violation continues is a separate offense. The director can also recover attorney's fees, court costs, sampling and monitoring expenses under Sec. 29-12, and an uncorrected violation after appeal is treated as a public nuisance under chapter 78.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as an illicit discharge in De Pere?
Do I need to notify the city before dye testing a drain?
What happens if I get a notice of violation?
Can the city cut off my access in an emergency?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in De Pere
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Stormwater Management in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Brown County handle stormwater management.