Stormwater Quality

General Prohibitions

• No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged into the storm drainage system or water course any materials other than stormwater.
• The construction, use, maintenance or continued existence of illicit connections to the storm drainage system is prohibited.
• It shall be unlawful to cause, allow, or place chemicals, pollutants, or like materials in such a manner or location where they may be exposed to stormwater, or enter storm drains, gutters or waters of the state. Materials, chemicals, or pollutants that are not contained are considered to be threatened discharges unless they are actively being cleaned up.
• No land disturbance activities greater than one acre in size or as a part of a common development over one acre in size shall be conducted without a Grading Permit issued by the City of Greeley.
• No person shall maliciously destroy or interfere with structural controls in place to protect water quality.
• Fines up to $1,000 per day for Ordinance violations may be imposed.

General Exemptions

The following types of discharges could be allowed to the storm drainage system when properly managed:

• Water line flushing or other potable water sources;
• Landscape irrigation or lawn watering;
• Irrigation return flows;
• Diverted stream flows;
• Rising groundwater;
• Uncontaminated groundwater infiltration to storm drain (as defined by 40CFR 35.2005(20));
• Uncontaminated pumped groundwater discharged to land/onsite infiltration;
• Single family residential foundation or footing drains;
• Single family residential crawl space pumps;
• Air conditioning condensation;
• Springs;
• Individual residential car washing;
• Natural riparian or wetland flows;
• Swimming pools (if dechlorinated, less than 0.05 PPM chlorine).

To help combat this source of pollution, the Environmental Protection Agency and Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment issue Multiple Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permits to local municipalities to monitor and work to improve the condition of stormwater quality within their jurisdictions.

The City of Greeley oversees the storm drainage system within the city limits, which is also referred to as the city’s MS4. The MS4 is designed to convey rainwater and snow melt away from homes and streets, which are connected to downstream lakes, streams, and rivers.

Greeley’s Stormwater Quality Unit is tasked with helping to ensure the water quality in our local lakes, streams, and rivers is protected today and for generations to come!

Public Notice

The City of Greeley administers a general permit for stormwater discharges associated with Municipal Separate Storm Systems (MS4) in accordance with Colorado’s Discharge Permit System (CDPS). The City of Greeley maintains a Program Description Document that is available to the public for review and comment.