Lakewood, NJ Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Prohibited
- Any dumping into MS4 besides stormwater
- Sump pumps
- Must disperse per plumbing code, not to street
- Enforced by
- Code Enforcement Officer / Police Department
- Penalty
- Up to $1,000 and/or 90 days jail
- Ordinance
- Ord. No. 2005-90, amended 2012-2
Summary
Lakewood Township bans spilling, dumping or disposing of anything but stormwater into its municipal storm sewer system under Code § 32-1.3. The Code Enforcement Officer and Police Department enforce the rule, and anyone who keeps violating it after notice faces a fine up to $1,000 and up to 90 days in the county jail.
a. The spilling, dumping, or disposal of materials other than stormwater to the municipal separate storm sewer system operated by the Township of Lakewood is prohibited. b. The spilling, dumping, or disposal of materials other than stormwater in such a manner as to cause the discharge of pollutants to the municipal separate storm sewer system is also prohibited. c. Pumping sub-surface water from basement or crawl spaces in buildings including, but not limited to, foundation drains, interior sump pumps etc., onto the street, sidewalk, public way, etc., shall be prohibited.
Full Breakdown
Township of Lakewood Code § 32-1, adopted by Ordinance No. 2005-90 and amended by Ordinance No. 2012-2, targets illegal dumping into the municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4), the network of curbs, gutters, catch basins, ditches and storm drains the township owns and operates. 3b separately bans any dumping that causes pollutants to reach the system even indirectly. 3c specifically prohibits pumping sump-pump or foundation-drain water onto the street or sidewalk instead of dispersing it under the National Standard Plumbing Code, and makes the property owner responsible for any resulting violation under the Uniform Construction Code.
4 carves out exceptions that are not illegal dumping: potable water line flushing, air-conditioning condensate, landscape irrigation runoff, natural spring and wetland flows, residential car-washing and pool discharges, sidewalk and driveway wash water, firefighting flows, and clean-water rinsing of beach maintenance or de-icing equipment after residual salt is removed by dry methods such as shoveling or sweeping. 5 puts enforcement in the hands of the Code Enforcement Officer and the Police Department. The chapter works together with § 32-2's separate ban on illicit sewage and industrial-waste connections to the MS4, which carries the identical fine structure.
Violations & Fines
Section 32-1.6 fines anyone who continues to violate the dumping ban, after being duly notified, up to $1,000 per violation, up to 90 days in the county jail, or both. Each act of spilling, dumping or discharging counts separately, and the same $1,000/90-day structure applies to the related illicit-connection ban in § 32-2.5. The Code Enforcement Officer or Police Department issues the notice that starts the clock before a summons follows.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as illegal dumping under Lakewood's stormwater code?
Can I pump my sump pump onto the street in Lakewood?
What discharges are allowed under Lakewood's dumping ban?
What is the penalty for illegal dumping into a Lakewood storm drain?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lakewood
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Illegal Dumping in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle illegal dumping.