Lincoln, NE Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)
Key Facts
- Enforcing agency
- City Health Director
- Max penalty
- $500 per day
- Jail exposure
- Up to 6 months
- Geographic reach
- City limits plus 3-mile drainage area
Summary
Lincoln bans discharging any pollutant into the storm drainage system, with violations subject to fines up to $500 per day and possible jail time.
No person shall discharge, cause the discharge, or allow the discharge of a pollutant into the storm drainage system, except as allowed in subsection (b) of this section. ... Any person who violates this chapter shall be subject to a penalty of no more than $500.00 per day of violation, imprisonment in the county jail for a period not to exceed six months, or both such penalty and imprisonment.
Full Breakdown
Under Lincoln Municipal Code Chapter 28.02, no person may discharge, cause, or allow the discharge of a pollutant into the city's storm drainage system except narrow exemptions like firefighting water, lawn irrigation runoff, and uncontaminated groundwater. The Health Director investigates violations and can order corrective action; the rule reaches all land inside city limits plus land within three miles of the corporate limits that drains into the storm system. This is separate from the city's construction-site stormwater permit program under Chapter 28.01.
Violations & Fines
Up to $500 per day of violation, up to six months in county jail, or both; the City can also seek injunctive relief.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I wash my car in the driveway in Lincoln?
Who do I report a storm drain dumping violation to in Lincoln?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lincoln
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