Stormwater can pick up debris, chemicals, and other pollutants and flow into a storm sewer system or directly to a lake, stream, river, wetland, or coastal water. Items entering a storm sewer system are discharged untreated into the water bodies we use for swimming and fishing and that provide drinking water. Bacteria and other pathogens can wash into swimming areas and create health hazards. Debris, plastic bags, six-pack rings, bottles, and cigarette butts washed into water bodies can choke, suffocate, or disable aquatic life like ducks, fish, turtles, and birds. We all must do our part to protect our waterways that make our county so beautiful. 

Prohibited Discharges

• Animal carcasses
• Antifreeze and other automotive products
• Any liquids in quantity or quality that are capable of causing a violation of the City’s NPDES stormwater permit
• Chemically treated cooling water
• Chemicals
• Construction materials
• Degreasers, solvents
• Dyes
• Laundry waste
• Lawn clippings, leaves, branches, etc.
• Paint
• Pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers
• Pet waste
• Recreational vehicle waste
• Sanitary sewage
• Soaps
• Solid waste
• Solids in such quantities of such size capable of causing interference or obstruction to the flow of the City’s storm sewer system
• Steam cleaning waste
• Wash Waters
• Petroleum products, including oil, grease and gasoline

Authorized Exemptions

• Air conditioning condensate
• Construction dust control
• Dechlorinated swimming pool discharges
• Discharges from potable water sources
• Discharges or flows from emergency firefighting activities
• Diverted stream flows
• Emergency response activities
• Flows from riparian habitat and wetlands
• Flushing of reclaimed water lines
• Foundation and footing drains
• Individual residential car washing
• Irrigation water
• Landscape irrigation
• Lawn watering
• Rising ground water
• Springs
• Street cleaning
• Uncontaminated ground water infiltration
• Uncontaminated pumping ground water
• Water main flushing

One method of protecting our watersheds and waterways involves the management of stormwater runoff. Learn more on how Clay County manages this important task, and how you can help, by visiting our National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System information page here.

Household hazardous waste does not belong in our stormwater systems. Learn more about how to properly dispose of it, right here in Clay County.

Report illegal dumping into county stormwater systems or other illicit discharges and connections. You can make a report through Clay Connected.

Other resources: 

Erosion Control Inspectors Manual