Cumberland County, NC Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- County Code Sec. 12-15
- Enforcing agency
- Stormwater Services (SWS)
- Standard compliance window
- 30 days after notice
- Appeal deadline
- 30 days after cited action
- Penalty escalation
- category III to I by repeat
- Right of entry
- regular business hours
Summary
Cumberland County bans discharging anything other than stormwater into its municipal storm sewer system, plus illicit physical connections and improper disposal into storm drains or waterways. Stormwater Services enforces the rules with notices, escalating civil penalties, and a formal appeal process.
(1)Non-stormwater discharges.a.It shall be unlawful for any person or persons to discharge non-stormwater to any stormwater conveyance with the exception of the following:1.Water line flushing;2.Landscape irrigation;...9.Air conditioning condensation... b.If any of the above non-stormwater exceptions are found to be polluted and thus cause a negative impact on the quality of the waters of the state, said situation or occurrence shall be deemed unlawful and shall not be allowed to discharge to the municipal separate storm sewer system.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 8).
Full Breakdown
County Code Sec. 12-15 prohibits three categories of conduct. First, non-stormwater discharges into any stormwater conveyance are unlawful unless they fall on a specific exception list, such as water line flushing, landscape irrigation, air conditioning condensation, or firefighting discharges; even an exempted discharge becomes illegal if it's found to be polluted. Second, illicit physical connections, like wastewater lines, floor drains, or overflowing septic systems tied into the storm sewer, are barred, and raw sewage may never be emptied into the system anywhere in the county.
Third, improper disposal bans deliberately depositing solids, fluids, or gases that create litter, a nuisance, or pollution in the system or waters of the state, and separately bars keeping pigpens, stables, feedlots, or animal waste lagoons close enough to the system that runoff from them reaches it. Sec. S. 2 if access is refused. Sec. 12-11 applies these rules to all of unincorporated Cumberland County plus any incorporated area that opts in.
Violations & Fines
Sec. 12-16 requires written notice of violation before any penalty, giving the violator a chance to comply immediately or on a schedule that is normally 30 days. A first-time illicit-connection violation draws a category III civil penalty, a second-time reconnection within a year draws category II, and a third time draws category I, with amounts set by the county's adopted penalty schedule; each day of continuing violation is a separate offense. Sec. 12-19 lets any cited person appeal to the stormwater advisory board within 30 days of the action, with a hearing held within 30 days of the appeal and a final decision within 60 days of that hearing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can't go into a storm drain in Cumberland County?
What happens if I'm cited for an illicit stormwater connection?
Can I appeal a Cumberland County stormwater violation notice?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cumberland County
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