Knowledge Base

What is an Illicit Discharge?

 
An illicit discharge is an illegal connection or tie-in to a storm sewer.  Municipal storm sewers are designed to convey storm water runoff to nearby lakes and streams to prevent flooding, but they are not designed to handle flow from sources such as gutter downspouts. Generally, there is no treatment to the runoff before it empties into a receiving stream. Dumping anything other than storm water into a storm drain is illegal and considered an illicit discharge.