[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Meeting of the Town of Southborough 4-10-2006 ATM by Art. 45. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Building construction — See Ch. 62.
Wetlands protection — See Ch. 170.
Zoning — See Ch. 174.
Subdivision of land — See Ch. 244.
A. 
Increased and contaminated stormwater runoff is a major cause of impairment of water quality and flow in lakes, ponds, streams, rivers, wetlands and groundwater; contamination of drinking water supplies; alteration or destruction of aquatic and wildlife habitat; and flooding. Regulation of illicit connections and discharges to the Town of Southborough municipal storm drain system is necessary for the protection of the Town's water bodies and groundwater, and to safeguard the public health, safety, welfare and the environment.
B. 
The objectives of this bylaw are:
(1) 
To prevent illicit discharge of pollutants from entering Southborough's municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4);
(2) 
To prohibit illicit connections and unauthorized discharges to the MS4;
(3) 
To require the removal of all such illicit connections;
(4) 
To comply with state and federal statutes and regulations relating to stormwater discharges; and
(5) 
To establish the legal authority to ensure compliance with the provisions of this bylaw through inspection, monitoring, and enforcement.
For the purposes of this bylaw, the following shall mean:
AUTHORIZED ENFORCEMENT AGENCY
The Board of Health (hereafter the Board), its employees or agents designated to enforce this bylaw.
BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE (BMP)
An activity, procedure, restraint, or structural improvement that helps to reduce the quantity or improve the quality of stormwater runoff.
CLEAN WATER ACT
The Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. § 1251 et seq.) as hereafter amended.
DISCHARGE OF POLLUTANTS
The addition from any source of any pollutant or combination of pollutants into the municipal storm drain system or into the waters of the United States or commonwealth from any source.
GROUNDWATER
Water beneath the surface of the ground.
ILLICIT CONNECTION
A surface or subsurface drain or conveyance, which allows an illicit discharge into the municipal storm drain system, including without limitation sewage, process wastewater, or wash water and any connections from indoor drains, sinks, or toilets, regardless of whether said connection was previously allowed, permitted, or approved before the effective date of this bylaw.
ILLICIT DISCHARGE
Direct or indirect discharge to the municipal storm drain system that is not composed entirely of stormwater, except as exempted in § 225-7. The term does not include a discharge in compliance with an NPDES Stormwater Discharge Permit or a Surface Water Discharge Permit, or resulting from fire fighting activities exempted pursuant to § 225-8 of this bylaw.
MUNICIPAL SEPARATE STORM SEWER SYSTEM (MS4) or MUNICIPAL STORM DRAIN SYSTEM
The system of conveyances designed or used for collecting or conveying stormwater, including any road with a drainage system, street, gutter, curb, inlet, piped storm drain, pumping facility, retention or detention basin, natural or man-made or altered drainage channel, reservoir, and other drainage structure that together comprise the storm drainage system owned or operated by the Town of Southborough.
NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (NPDES) STORMWATER DISCHARGE PERMIT
A permit issued by United States Environmental Protection Agency or jointly with the state that authorizes the discharge of pollutants to waters of the United States.
NON-STORMWATER DISCHARGE
Discharge to the municipal storm drain system not composed entirely of stormwater.
PERSON
Any individual, group of individuals, association, partnership, corporation, company, business organization, trust, estate, the commonwealth or political subdivision thereof to the extent subject to Town bylaws, administrative agency, public or quasi-public corporation or body, the Town of Southborough, and any other legal entity, its legal representatives, agents, or assigns.
POLLUTANT
Any element or property of sewage, agricultural, industrial or commercial waste, runoff, leachate, heated effluent, or other matter whether originating at a point or nonpoint source, that is or may be introduced into any sewage treatment works or waters of the commonwealth. Pollutants shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
A. 
Paints, varnishes, and solvents;
B. 
Oil and other automotive fluids;
C. 
Nonhazardous liquid and solid wastes and yard wastes;
D. 
Refuse, rubbish, garbage, litter, or other discarded or abandoned objects, ordnances, accumulations and floatables;
E. 
Pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers;
F. 
Hazardous materials and wastes; sewage, fecal coliform and pathogens;
G. 
Dissolved and particulate metals;
H. 
Animal wastes;
I. 
Rock, sand, salt, soils;
J. 
Construction wastes and residues; and
K. 
Noxious or offensive matter of any kind.
PROCESS WASTEWATER
Water which, during manufacturing or processing, comes into direct contact with or results from the production or use of any material, intermediate product, finished product, or waste product.
RECHARGE
The replenishment of underground water reserves.
STORMWATER
Stormwater runoff, snow melt runoff, and surface water runoff and drainage.
SURFACE WATER DISCHARGE PERMIT
A permit issued by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) pursuant to 314 CMR 3.00 that authorizes the discharge of pollutants to waters of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
TOXIC OR HAZARDOUS MATERIAL OR WASTE
Any material, which because of its quantity, concentration, chemical, corrosive, flammable, reactive, toxic, infectious or radioactive characteristics, either separately or in combination with any substance or substances, constitutes a present or potential threat to human health, safety, welfare, or to the environment. Toxic or hazardous materials include any synthetic organic chemical, petroleum product, heavy metal, radioactive or infectious waste, acid and alkali, and any substance defined as toxic or hazardous under MGL c. 21C and c. 21E, and the regulations at 310 CMR 30.000 and 310 CMR 40.0000.
WATERCOURSE
A natural or man-made channel through which water flows or a stream of water, including a river, brook or underground stream.
WASTEWATER
Any sanitary waste, sludge, or septic tank or cesspool overflow, and water that during manufacturing, cleaning or processing, comes into direct contact with or results from the production or use of any raw material, intermediate product, finished product, byproduct or waste product.
WATERS OF THE COMMONWEALTH
All waters within the jurisdiction of the commonwealth, including, without limitation, rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, springs, impoundments, estuaries, wetlands, coastal waters, and groundwater.
This bylaw shall apply to flows entering the municipally owned storm drainage system.
This bylaw is adopted under the authority granted by the Home Rule Amendment of the Massachusetts Constitution and the Home Rule Procedures Act, and pursuant to the regulations of the Federal Clean Water Act found at 40 CFR 122.34.
The Board of Health shall administer, implement and enforce this bylaw. Any powers granted to or duties imposed upon the Board may be delegated in writing by the Board to employees or agents of the Board or the Town of Southborough.
The Board shall promulgate rules and regulations to effectuate the purposes of this bylaw. Failure by the Board to promulgate such rules and regulations shall not have the effect of suspending or invalidating this bylaw.
A. 
Illicit discharges. No person shall dump, discharge, cause or allow to be discharged any pollutant or non-stormwater discharge into the municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4), into a watercourse, into a wetland resource area, or into the waters of the commonwealth.
B. 
Illicit connections. No person shall construct, use, allow, maintain or continue any illicit connection to the municipal storm drain system, regardless of whether the connection was permissible under applicable law, regulation or custom at the time of connection.
C. 
Obstruction of municipal storm drain system. No person shall obstruct or interfere with the normal flow of stormwater into or out of the municipal storm drain system without prior written approval from the Board.
Discharge or flow resulting from fire fighting activities are exempt. The following non-stormwater discharges or flows are also exempt from the prohibition of non-stormwaters, provided that the source will not damage or threaten public health and the environment:
A. 
Waterline flushing and flow from potable water sources;
B. 
Springs, natural flow from riparian habitats and wetlands, diverted stream flow and rising groundwater;
C. 
Uncontaminated groundwater infiltration as defined in 40 CFR 35.2005(20), or uncontaminated pumped groundwater;
D. 
Water from exterior foundation drains, footing drains (not including active groundwater dewatering systems), crawl space pumps, sump pumps or air conditioning condensation;
E. 
Discharge from landscape irrigation or lawn watering;
F. 
Water from noncommercial car washing;
G. 
Discharge from dechlorinated swimming pool or hot tub water (less than one ppm chlorine), provided the pool or hot tub is drained in such a way as not to cause a nuisance;
H. 
Discharge from street sweeping, discharge of sand and deicers used for public safety purposes;
I. 
Emergency repairs to the municipal storm drain system, and any stormwater management structure or practice that poses a threat to public health or safety, or as deemed necessary by the Board;
J. 
Dye testing, provided verbal notification is given to the Board prior to the time of the test;
K. 
Nonstormwater discharge permitted under an NPDES permit or a surface water discharge permit, waiver, or waste discharge order administered under the authority of the United States Environmental Protection Agency or the Department of Environmental Protection, provided that the discharge is in full compliance with the requirements of the permit, waiver, or order and applicable laws and regulations; and
L. 
Discharge for which advanced written approval is received from the Board as necessary to protect public health, safety, welfare or the environment.
The Board may suspend municipal storm drain system access to any person or property without prior written notice when such suspension is necessary to stop an actual or threatened discharge of pollutants that presents imminent risk of harm to the public health, safety, welfare or the environment. In the event any person fails to comply with an emergency suspension order, the Board of Health and Health Agent may take all reasonable steps to prevent or minimize harm to the public health, safety, welfare or the environment.
Notwithstanding other requirements of local, state or federal law, as soon as a person responsible for a facility or operation, or responsible for emergency response for a facility or operation has information of or suspects a release of materials at that facility or operation resulting in or which may result in discharge of pollutants into the municipal drainage system, a wetland resource area or the waters of the Commonwealth, the person shall take all necessary steps to ensure containment, and cleanup of the release. In the event of a release of oil or hazardous materials, the person shall immediately notify the Southborough Fire and Police Departments and the Board of Health and Health Agent. In the event of a release of nonhazardous material, the reporting person shall notify the Board of Health and Health Agent no later than the next business day. The reporting person shall provide to the Board of Health written confirmation of all telephone, facsimile or in-person notifications within three business days thereafter. If the discharge of prohibited materials is from a commercial or industrial facility, the facility owner or operator of the facility shall retain on-site a written record of the discharge and the actions taken to prevent its recurrence. Such records shall be retained for at least three years.
The Board or an authorized agent of the Board shall enforce this bylaw, regulations, orders, violation notices, and enforcement orders, and may pursue all civil and criminal remedies for such violations.
A. 
Orders. The Board or an authorized agent of the Board may issue a written order to enforce the provisions of this bylaw or the regulations thereunder, which may include: (a) elimination of illicit connections or discharges to the MS4; (b) performance of monitoring, analyses, and reporting; (c) that unlawful discharges, practices, or operations shall cease and desist; and (d) remediation of contamination in connection therewith.
(1) 
If the enforcing person determines that abatement or remediation of contamination is required, the order shall set forth a deadline by which such abatement or remediation must be completed. Said order shall further advise that, should the violator or property owner fail to abate or perform remediation within the specified deadline, the Town may, at its option, undertake such work, and expenses thereof shall be charged to the violator.
(2) 
Within 30 days after completing all measures necessary to abate the violation or to perform remediation, the violator and the property owner will be notified of the costs incurred by the Town, including administrative costs. The violator or property owner may file a written protest objecting to the amount or basis of costs with the Board within 30 days of receipt of the notification of the costs incurred. If the amount due is not received by the expiration of the time in which to file a protest or within 30 days following a decision of the Board affirming or reducing the costs, or from a final decision of a court of competent jurisdiction, the costs shall become a special assessment against the property owner and shall constitute a lien on the owner's property for the amount of said costs. Interest shall begin to accrue on any unpaid costs at the statutory rate provided in MGL c. 59, § 57, after the 31st day at which the costs first become due.
B. 
Penalties. Any person who violates any provision of this bylaw, regulation, or permit issued hereunder, shall be subject to fines, civil action, criminal prosecution, and tax liens, as appropriate and as lawfully established by the Town of Southborough.
C. 
Noncriminal disposition. As an alternative to criminal prosecution or civil action, the town may utilize the noncriminal disposition procedure set forth in MGL c. 40, § 21D, in which case the Health Agent or other authorized agent of the town shall be the enforcing person.
D. 
Entry to perform duties under this bylaw. To the extent permitted by state law, or if authorized by the owner or other party in control of the property, the Board, its agents, officers, and employees may enter upon privately owned property for the purpose of performing their duties under this bylaw and regulations and may make or cause to be made such examinations, surveys or sampling as the Board deems reasonably necessary.
E. 
Appeals. Further relief shall be to a court of competent jurisdiction.
F. 
Remedies not exclusive. The remedies listed in this bylaw are not exclusive of any other remedies available under any applicable federal, state or local law.
The provisions of this bylaw are hereby declared to be severable. If any provision, paragraph, sentence, or clause, of this bylaw or the application thereof to any person, establishment, or circumstances shall be held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect the other provisions or application of this bylaw.
Residential property owners shall have 120 days from the effective date of the bylaw to comply with its provisions, provided good cause is shown for the failure to comply with the bylaw during that period.