Boone County, KY Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies to
- Unincorporated Boone County only
- Governing sections
- § 51.019 and § 51.061
- Enforcing official
- District manager
- Base penalty
- Misdemeanor, up to $1,000
- Continuing violation
- Up to $10,000 per day
- Exception
- Written manager authorization
Summary
In unincorporated Boone County, Kentucky, stormwater, roof runoff, and groundwater drainage may not be routed into the sanitary sewer system operated by the county's wastewater district. Boone County Code § 51.019 requires uncontaminated stormwater to go to storm sewers or natural outlets, and § 51.061 separately bars connecting roof, foundation, or parking-lot drains to any wastewater sewer without written approval.
All uncontaminated discharges of stormwater, surface water, groundwater, roof runoff, subsurface drainage, or other waters not required to be treated in the treatment facility shall be made to storm sewers or natural outlets designed for discharges, except as authorized under § 51.061. Any connection, drain, or arrangement that will permit waters to enter any other wastewater sewer be deemed to be in violation of this section and this chapter.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2025 S-28: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ordinance 2025-20, passed 6-17-25; and State legislation current through KRS 2025).
Full Breakdown
002(B), applies to the county and to persons outside the district who use its wastewater sewers or treatment facilities by contract. 061. 061, "Surface Runoff and Groundwater Drains; Connection Prohibited," bars connecting roof, foundation, areaway, parking lot, roadway, or other surface runoff or groundwater drains to any sewer tied to a wastewater treatment facility unless the manager authorizes the connection in writing; absent that written approval, those drains must instead discharge to natural outlets or storm sewers. 061(A) conforming to conditions the manager sets. These rules govern only the unincorporated county and district service area; they do not apply inside Florence, Union, or Walton, each of which enforces its own municipal code.
Violations & Fines
Violating the stormwater-separation rules is a misdemeanor under § 51.999(A), punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 where no other penalty is set. If the illegal connection or discharge continues beyond the correction period, § 51.999(B) allows a fine of up to $10,000 for each day the violation continues, or disconnection from the district's wastewater facilities, with each day treated as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I connect a roof drain to the sanitary sewer in Boone County?
Where must stormwater go if it can't enter the sanitary sewer?
What is the penalty for routing stormwater into the sanitary sewer?
Do these Boone County rules apply inside Florence or Union?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Boone County
Compare Boone County to another location·View the Kentucky environmental rules overview
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