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Killeen, TX Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Governing law
Code of Ordinances ch. 32, art. II
Enforcing agency
Director of Public Works
Civil penalty
Up to $5,000 per day
Criminal penalty
Class C misdemeanor, up to $2,000 fine
Appeal window
10 calendar days to city manager
Adopted
Ord. No. 09-046, July 28, 2009

Summary

Killeen makes it illegal to send anything but rain runoff into the city's storm drain system. Code section 32-24 bars discharging oil, wash water, chemicals, sewage or any non-stormwater substance into the municipal separate storm sewer system, and the public works director can issue stop-work orders, seek injunctions and refer cases for Class C misdemeanor prosecution.

No person shall introduce or cause to be introduced into the MS4 any discharge that is not composed entirely of stormwater. ... A person who violates, or causes or permits the violation of, any provision of this article, including knowingly making any false statement, representation, or certification in any application, record, report, plan, petition, appeal or other documentation filed, or required to be maintained, pursuant to this article, or any order issued hereunder, or who has falsified, tampered with, or knowingly rendered inaccurate any monitoring device or method required under this article, commits a Class C misdemeanor which shall be punishable under section 1-8 of this code. A fine not exceeding two thousand dollars ($2,000.00) may be imposed for violation of the provisions of this article that govern fire safety or public health and sanitation. With respect to violations of this code that are continuous with respect to time, each day the violation continues is a separate offense.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 38 Update 1).

Full Breakdown

Chapter 32, Article II of the Killeen Code of Ordinances regulates the city's municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) to meet its federal NPDES and state TPDES discharge permits. 10 mg/l threshold. The director of public works can enter any premises discharging to the MS4 to inspect, sample and copy records, and security-gated sites must admit the director within 48 hours of a request or face a separate violation. Enforcement under section 32-27 runs from a written warning notice through a notification of violation, consent orders, compliance orders, stop work orders posted on-site, and emergency cease-and-desist orders that can trigger immediate termination of city utility service.

A property owner can petition the director for reconsideration within 10 calendar days and, if denied, appeal in writing to the city manager within another 10 days; the city manager must rule within 30 days. Section 32-29 lets the city petition the Bell County District Court for injunctive relief and civil penalties up to $5,000 per day for point-source pollutant discharges, on top of criminal prosecution.

Violations & Fines

Violating section 32-24 is a Class C misdemeanor punishable under Code section 1-8, with fines up to $2,000 for offenses touching fire safety or public health and sanitation; each day a discharge continues is a separate offense. The city can also seek civil penalties up to $5,000 per day and injunctive relief in Bell County District Court, and the director may post a stop work order barring further construction or occupancy approvals until the site complies.

Frequently Asked Questions

What counts as an illegal discharge in Killeen?
Anything entering the storm drain system (the MS4) that is not composed entirely of stormwater, under Code section 32-24. That covers oil, wash water, chemicals, sewage, paint or construction wastewater unless it fits one of the article's narrow listed exceptions.
Can I wash my car in my driveway?
Yes. Section 32-24(b)(11) specifically exempts individual residential vehicle washing from the discharge prohibition, along with lawn irrigation runoff and other listed categories, so ordinary residential water use is not a violation.
What happens if I ignore a stop work order?
The director's stop work order under section 32-27(f) bars further construction activity and blocks any building permit, plat, or occupancy approval at the site until lifted, and continued work in defiance can bring a separate Class C misdemeanor charge and civil penalties.
How do I appeal a stormwater compliance order?
File a written petition for reconsideration with the director within 10 calendar days of receiving the order under section 32-28. If the director denies it, you can appeal in writing to the city manager within another 10 days, who must decide within 30 days.

Sources & Official References

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