New Haven, CT Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)

Section 26-21 states the core rule plainly: "No person shall throw, drain, or otherwise discharge, cause, or allow others under its control to throw, drain, or otherwise discharge into the municipal separate storm sewer system any pollutants or waters containing any pollutants, other than stormwater." The chapter, adopted by Ord. No. 1800 in 2016 to meet the city's federal NPDES permit obligations, applies citywide under § 26-2 and is administered by the City Engineer under § 26-5.

Three exemptions apply as long as they carry no pollutants: water line flushing, landscape irrigation, diverted stream flows, groundwater infiltration, foundation and footing drains, air conditioning condensation and similar natural or maintenance flows; firefighting discharges or other flows the City Engineer approves in writing; and non-stormwater discharges already authorized under an NPDES permit, provided the discharger stays in full compliance and has written city approval to use the storm sewer. "Illicit discharge" is defined in § 26-6 as any direct or indirect non-stormwater discharge to the system except those exemptions, and "pollutant" is defined broadly to include paint, solvents, petroleum products, automotive fluids, cooking grease, pesticides, fertilizers, sewage and yard waste, among other substances.

Anyone responsible for a facility that has an accidental release must act immediately to contain and clean it up, then notify the City Engineer within twenty-four hours under § 26-25, confirm that notice in writing within three business days, and keep a record of the incident and corrective action for at least three years. The City Engineer can enter and inspect properties under § 26-24 and issue a written notice of violation under § 26-42 describing the violation, required remedial steps, a compliance schedule, and applicable penalties; a recipient has thirty days to appeal under § 26-43, with a hearing under § 32-3(d) and a final decision from the hearing officer.

If a violation goes uncorrected after notice (or after a losing appeal), the city can enter the property to abate it and bill the owner for the cost, which becomes a lien on the property if unpaid within thirty days under § 26-45. Civil penalties under § 26-46 run up to $500 per day the violation remains unremedied, and § 26-47 lets the City Engineer refer intentional or flagrant violations to Connecticut Superior Court for criminal fines up to $10,000, up to ninety days imprisonment, or both, with each day of violation a separate offense.