Good & Bad •

Stormwater GOOD: Only Rain in the Drain! The water drains to Ordinance the river.

Leaf & Grass Blowing into Storm Drains

Lafayette BAD: Grass and leaves blown into a storm drain interfere with drainage. Parish Dirt is also being allowed in our waterways.

Potential Illicit Discharge Sources: Environmental Quality • Sanitary sewer wastewater. Regulatory Compliance 1515 E. University Ave. • Effluent from septic tanks. Lafayette, LA 70501 Phone: 337-291-8529 • Laundry wastewater. Fax: 337-291-5620 • Improper disposal of auto and household toxics. www.lafayettela.gov/stormwater

• Industrial byproduct discharge.

Illicit Discharge (including leaf blowing)

Stormwater Ordinance Stormwater Runoff Illicit Discharge

Please be advised that the Environmental Grass clippings and leaves blown or swept is defined by the EPA as: Quality Division of Lafayette Consolidated into storm drains or into the street harms Any discharge into a municipal separate Government has recently adopted an waterways and our river. Storm drains flow storm sewer that is not composed entirely of into coulees and into the Vermilion River. rainwater and is not authorized by permit. Illicit Discharge (including leaf blowing) Grass clippings in the river rob valuable Stormwater Ordinance oxygen from our Vermilion River. Chapter 34. ENVIRONMENT When leaf and grass clippings enter the Signs of Potential Illicit Discharge Article 5. STORMWATER storm drain, flooding can occur. Only rain must enter the storm drain. When anything • Heavy flow during dry weather. Division 4 Sec. 34-452 but rain goes down the storm drain, it can • Strong odor. It is now in effect and being enforced. You become a drainage problem. may access this ordinance online at Grass clippings left on the ground improve the • Colorful or discolored liquid. www.lafayettela.gov or you may call our health of the lawn itself. There is no excuse office at (337) 291-8529 and we will send • Evidence of dumping into waterway. for sweeping grass and/or leaves into the you a copy by mail. storm drains or waterways. Stormwater runoff The purpose of this ordinance is to provide from lawn maintenance is a contributor of for the health, safety, and general welfare water pollution and can harm water bodies by: Things to do around your home of Lafayette Parish citizens by regulating, • Increasing the levels of sediment and to the maximum extent practicable as • In your yard, incorporate low suspended solids, which lower required by state and federal law, maintenance native plants that will oxygen levels in water bodies. discharges of unacceptable materials require less water, fertilizer and pesticides and therefore can reduce (example: oil, dirt, debris) into the storm • Increasing nutrients (nitrogen & harmful runoff. Use only the drainage system. phosphorus that are found in washing amount of pesticide and fertilizer detergents) that also lower oxygen recommended. levels and reduces water quality. POSSIBLE PENALTIES • Wash your vehicle over a grassy • Over-applying yard chemicals area to prevent detergents from First Offense: $250.00 per day per (fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides) running off into storm drains. results in them washing away into offense. nearby waterways. • Do not put grass clippings, leaves, Second Offense: $500.00 per day and other yard waste into the storm REMEMBER per offense. drain, swale, ditch or coulee.

ONLY RAIN • Properly dispose of hazardous Third Offense and thereafter: DOWN THE materials including paints, $1,000.00 per day per offense. antifreeze, other toxic chemicals DRAIN! and recycle oil.