Pollution Information

Pollution & Illegal Dumping
An illegal discharge is defined as any disposal into the storm drain system for which a person or business does not have a permit.

Federal and State laws currently prohibit the discharge of certain non-stormwaters to the storm drain system.  The purpose of these regulations is to protect the quality of the nation's surface water resources by minimizing contamination associated with urban activities.  Prohibited discharges include industrial process water, sanitary sewer flows, dumping of liquid waste, and other non-storm flows.

It is illegal to knowingly dump or discharge hazardous materials including paint products, motor oil, and other chemicals into storm drains or catch basins in DeKalb County.  The DeKalb County Stormwater Illicit Discharge and Illegal Connection Quality Management Code can be viewed by clicking HERE.

What Should I Do If I Find An Illegal/Illicit Discharge?
Illegal/illicit dumping is a major cause of storm water pollution.  Public witness complaints provide the most common source of information.  To report illegal/illicit dumping, please call the Department of Watershed Management at (770) 270-6243 to have it investigated.  Thank you for protecting our environment!