Provo, UT Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- Provo City Code Title 18, Ch. 18.02-18.03
- SWPPP trigger
- 1 acre or more of land disturbance
- Enforcement
- Public Works Director or designee
- Penalty
- Class C misdemeanor per violation
- Private facility inspection
- At least every other year
- Accidental discharge report deadline
- 10 days, written
Summary
Provo bans dumping anything but clean storm water into the storm drainage system or Utah Lake tributaries under City Code 18.02.020. Violators face Class C misdemeanor charges, and projects disturbing an acre or more must file a storm water pollution prevention plan.
It is unlawful for any person to cause or allow the discharge into a water body or storm drainage system, either directly or indirectly, of any substance not comprised entirely of storm water or an exempted discharge listed in Subsection (2) of this Section.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-17, passed June 9, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Provo City Code Chapter 18.02 makes it unlawful for anyone to "cause or allow the discharge into a water body or storm drainage system, either directly or indirectly, of any substance not comprised entirely of storm water or an exempted discharge" (18.02.020(1)). A short list of non-storm-water discharges is allowed if they do not violate state or federal water quality standards: UPDES-permitted discharges, water line flushing, landscape/lawn watering, uncontaminated ground or irrigation water, air conditioning condensate, firefighting flows, and City-approved foundation/footing drains. Anyone who discharges accidentally must notify the Public Works Director immediately and file a written report within 10 days covering the composition, timing, volume, cleanup steps and prevention measures; a properly filed report is an affirmative defense to a civil infraction but not to an injunction or cost-recovery action (18.02.020(3)).
Section 18.02.030 separately bars placing garbage, yard waste, pet waste, rocks, soil or mud into any street, gutter or storm drain component, and bans stockpiling pollutants where they could reach the system. Development-side rules sit in Chapter 18.03: any project, subdivision or grading activity disturbing one acre or more of land, or a smaller parcel that is part of a larger common plan, must submit a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) conforming to the City's adopted design manuals (18.03.030). Private storm water facilities remain the owner's responsibility for repair and debris removal, and owners must inspect their facility at least every other year and submit proof of inspection to stormwater@provo.org or through the City's ComplianceGo system, including inspection date, inspector's name, ownership information and a condition description (18.03.040).
The Public Works Director or a designee can enter private property during business hours to inspect, monitor or sample discharges (18.02.040), and can access SWPPP sites to confirm compliance (18.03.050).
Violations & Fines
A first or second violation of Title 18 is a Class C misdemeanor; a third violation is also a Class C misdemeanor and can trigger a stop work order (18.02.050(4)). Each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense. The Public Works Director can skip the standard notice-and-cure process and move straight to civil or criminal action if the same violation recurred within 30 days, poses a serious risk, or is deemed an emergency. Violators also cover the City's repair and remediation costs, which can become a lien on the property, and the City can withhold new permits until unpaid costs are repaid in full. A notice recipient has 10 days to submit a correction plan or request an administrative hearing under Chapter 17.02; missing that window waives the right to appeal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I let my sump pump drain into the street in Provo?
Do I need a stormwater permit to build in Provo?
Who inspects private storm water facilities in Provo?
What happens if I dump yard waste in a Provo storm drain?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Provo
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