Georgetown, KY Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)
Key Facts
- Enforcing body
- Georgetown Stormwater Quality Division (GSQUAD)
- Prohibited
- Any discharge to the storm system other than stormwater, except listed exemptions
- Pool water
- Exempt only if dechlorinated below 0.1 mg/L
- First citation
- $50.00 fine, project work halted
- Second citation
- $100.00 fine and notice of intent
- Misdemeanor penalty
- $100.00 to $500.00 or up to 90 days
- Notice of violation appeal
- Within ten business days of service
Summary
Georgetown prohibits anything but stormwater from entering its storm drains and creeks. Article V of Chapter 40 bars illegal discharges and illicit connections, and the Georgetown Stormwater Quality Division (GSQUAD) enforces it with a notice of violation first, then citations of $50.00 and $100.00, and a misdemeanor charge carrying $100.00 to $500.00 for each separate offense.
(a) Prohibition of illegal discharges. No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged into the stormwater system or watercourses any materials, including, but not limited to, pollutants or waters containing any pollutants that cause or contribute to a violation of applicable water quality standards, other than stormwater. ... (c) Prohibition of illicit connections. (1) The construction, use, maintenance or continued existence of illicit connections to the stormwater system is prohibited. ... (e) Citations require that all project work is halted until the discharge is corrected. Citations shall include a penalty, or fine, for each occurrence and payable to the issuing authority prior to release. (1) First citation: $50.00 fine. (2) Second citation: $100.00 fine and notice of intent. ... (i) Any person, firm, corporation or agency acting as principal, agent, employee or otherwise, who fails to comply with the provisions of this article shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be punishable by a fine of not less than $100.00 and not more than $500.00, or by imprisonment for not more than 90 days, or both, for each separate offense.
Official source re-checked November 3, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 4).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 40, Article V (Illicit Discharge and Connection to Stormwater Sewers) applies under § 40-534 to all water entering the municipal storm drain system from developed and undeveloped land. Within the city, the Georgetown Stormwater Quality Division (GSQUAD) is the jurisdictional stormwater authority under § 40-532(c). In the rest of Scott County that role belongs to the Georgetown-Scott County Planning Commission. Section 40-535 allows the mayor to delegate city powers under the article to GSQUAD in writing.
Section 40-537 bars any person from discharging materials into the stormwater system or watercourses, including pollutants that cause or contribute to a violation of water quality standards, other than stormwater. The exempt list includes water line flushing, landscape irrigation, sump pumps, individual residential vehicle washing, firefighting activities and swimming pool water, but pool water is allowed only if dechlorinated below 0.1 milligrams per liter, and every exemption ends if the discharge is shown to be a significant contributor of pollutants. Dye testing needs verbal notice to the city beforehand. Illicit connections are banned even when they were lawful at the time they were made, and connecting a line that conveys sewage to the MS4 is a violation.
Owners of commercial or industrial establishments must provide, at their own expense, reasonable protection against accidental discharges through best management practices drawn from the city Post-Construction Stormwater Manual (§ 40-541), which is kept at 100 North Court Street. Anyone owning property that a watercourse passes through must keep that stretch free of trash, debris and obstacles (§ 40-542). Spills are covered by § 40-543, and GSQUAD can suspend a violator's MS4 access under § 40-538. A person who receives a notice of violation can appeal within ten business days of service (§ 40-545), and the city can impose alternative compensatory actions such as storm drain stenciling, compliance workshops or creek cleanup in lieu of penalties (§ 40-546).
Violations & Fines
A notice of violation is the first level of enforcement and carries no fine; it must be corrected within five calendar days or a citation follows (§ 40-544). Citations halt all project work until the discharge is corrected: $50.00 for the first citation, $100.00 plus a notice of intent for the second. If the city performs the cleanup, the cost goes to the owner, and nonpayment after 30 days becomes a lien. Conviction of the misdemeanor brings a fine of $100.00 to $500.00 or imprisonment for not more than 90 days, and each day is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I drain my swimming pool into a Georgetown storm drain?
What happens after GSQUAD posts a notice of violation?
Who must report a spill that could reach a storm drain?
Who enforces stormwater rules inside and outside city limits?
Sources & Official References
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