Dothan, AL Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)

Dothan's illicit discharge ordinance, Chapter 83, Article I, protects the city's municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4), the network of streets, catch basins, curbs, gutters, ditches and storm drains the city owns and operates under its Phase II NPDES permit from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management. Section 83-3 sets three core prohibitions: illicit discharge of pollutants to the MS4 is banned outright; discharging stormwater associated with industrial activity is banned unless a valid NPDES permit authorizes it; and spilling, dumping, or otherwise disposing of any material other than stormwater into the MS4 is banned.

Section 83-4 carves out a long list of exceptions that are not considered illicit, including water line flushing, landscape irrigation, air conditioning condensation, individual residential car washing, and dechlorinated swimming pool discharges. The public works director administers the article: § 83-5 lets the director inspect any facility subject to the article, require monitoring equipment, and seek a search warrant if access is refused, while §§ 83-6 through 83-11 require industrial and high-risk facilities to adopt best management practices and let the director revoke or emergency-suspend a facility's BMP plan approval for false information, unpermitted discharges, or refusing entry.

A denied, revoked or suspended facility can appeal to the city manager within 15 days under § 83-12. Enforcement runs through citations to Dothan Municipal Court under § 83-16, though the city defers to ADEM if the state has already opened its own enforcement action on the same violation. Section 83-17 sets the penalty by reference to Ala. Code § 11-45-9.