Wellington, FL Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)

Adopted as the 'Wellington's Initial Stormwater Control Ordinance' under Code Section 9-7, Chapter 9 Article II governs the Village's canals, pump stations, and other stormwater management facilities that make up its primary drainage system, along with the secondary system of Village rights-of-way and Village-owned property. Section 9-10 assigns Wellington responsibility for the primary and secondary systems while individual property owners or homeowners' and property owners' associations must operate and maintain all other stormwater facilities on their land. Section 9-11 prohibits any discharge into the stormwater system that violates federal, state, county, or municipal law, and separately prohibits any discharge that is not composed entirely of stormwater unless it is authorized by a valid National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit or falls under one of the exemptions in Section 9-16, such as firefighting flows, landscape irrigation runoff, or de-chlorinated pool water.

Section 9-17 makes illicit connections to the stormwater system unlawful and applies retroactively to connections made before the ordinance, regardless of any permit or practice that allowed them at the time. The Wellington Engineer can issue administrative orders under Section 9-12 requiring an immediate halt to any violating discharge, and Section 9-14 requires anyone holding an NPDES permit to give the Wellington Engineer a copy within 60 days of issuance. Section 9-20 treats each day of a continuing violation as a separate offense, and Section 9-21 lets the Wellington Engineer pursue notices of violation, court action, or referral to the Code Compliance Division to enforce compliance.