Palatine, IL Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)

Sec. 30-245 states the article's purpose: protecting health, safety and welfare by controlling nonstormwater discharges to the storm drainage system to the maximum extent practicable, as required by the village's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. Sec. 30-246 defines an illegal discharge as anything but stormwater entering the system, except discharges exempted under Sec. 30-250, and defines illicit connections to include any drain that lets sewage, process wastewater or washwater reach the storm sewer. Sec. 30-250(a) bans discharging pollutants that violate water quality standards, but exempts water line flushing, landscape irrigation, rising groundwater, air conditioning condensation, dechlorinated pool water and firefighting water, among other listed sources.

Sec. 30-251 lets the public works director suspend a property's MS4 access without notice in an emergency, or after notice and a hearing opportunity for a detected illicit discharge. Sec. 30-253 gives the director a right of entry to inspect and sample any facility with industrial or construction stormwater activity, backed by a search warrant if access is refused. Sec. 30-257 and Sec. 30-258 set up a written notice-of-violation and abatement process, with seven days to appeal to the municipal authority and a hearing within 15 days.

Sec. 30-260 turns unpaid abatement costs into a special assessment lien on the property, payable over up to 12 installments with interest at prime plus two percent. Sec. 30-263 declares stormwater violations a public nuisance subject to summary abatement, and Sec. 30-264, amended by Ordinance No. O-36-26 on April 13, 2026, makes violations subject to criminal prosecution and a fine under the village fine schedule, with each day of a continuing violation a separate offense.