Lowell enforces a local Stormwater Management Ordinance under its MS4 permit, requiring erosion controls and on-site management for projects over 1 acre or 5,000 square feet of disturbance.
Lowell operates under an EPA MS4 NPDES permit for its municipal stormwater system, which discharges primarily to the Merrimack River and Concord River. The Lowell Stormwater Management Ordinance, administered by the Conservation Commission and DPW Engineering, requires a stormwater permit for any land disturbance of 5,000 square feet or more and a full stormwater management plan for sites over one acre. Projects must meet the Massachusetts Stormwater Standards, including 80 percent TSS removal, recharge to groundwater, and peak runoff attenuation. Illicit discharges such as sump pumps connected to sanitary sewer or washwater into storm drains are prohibited and subject to fines.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
Lowell, MA
Lowell applies the Massachusetts DEP 10-dB-above-ambient standard for objective measurement and uses a plainly-audible test for subjective enforcement.
Lowell, MA
Lowell restricts gas-powered leaf blower use to daytime hours; no outright ban exists, but decibel and hour limits apply under the general noise ordinance.
Lowell, MA
Outdoor music at restaurants, breweries, and event venues in Lowell requires an entertainment license and must end by 10 p.m. in residential zones.
Lowell, MA
Lowell enforces nighttime quiet hours that restrict unreasonable noise in residential areas, authorized under MGL c.40 s.21 and enforced by Lowell Police and...
Lowell, MA
Amplified music from homes, vehicles, or outdoor events in Lowell must not be plainly audible beyond 50 feet and is subject to permit rules for public venues.
Lowell, MA
Industrial operations in Lowell must keep noise within Massachusetts DEP guidelines and the local ordinance, with stricter limits at residential property lines.
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Middlesex County.
See how other cities in Middlesex County handle stormwater management.
See how Lowell's stormwater management rules stack up against other locations.
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