Illicit Discharge Elimination Program

A major focus of the Water Quality Division (WQD) is the elimination of illegal discharges to Wayne County surface waters from illicit connections, illegal dumping, and lack of awareness. The WQD Illicit Discharge Elimination Program (IDEP) directly results in the annual removal of significant quantities of raw sewage and other pollution which pose a threat to both human and aquatic life. 

The Problem/Need For The Program

The Federal Clean Water Act was amended in 1987 to include municipal and other urban storm water discharges on the list of regulated sources of water pollution. In November 1999, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) promulgated Phase II of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) storm water regulations, which affects virtually all communities in southeast Michigan, including Wayne County Wayne County, through its Rouge River National Wet Weather Demonstration Project (Rouge Project) assisted the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) in the development and 1998 promulgation of a new watershed-based General Permit for municipal storm water discharges (General Permit). The MDEQ General Permit has been approved by EPA as an option available to local communities and other public agencies to comply with the requirements of the Phase II federal NDPES storm water regulations.

One of the requirements of the federal Phase II NPDES storm water regulations and the MDEQ General Permit is to develop, implement, and enforce a program to eliminate improper connections to the storm sewer system and other improper discharges to surface waters. Within a given geographic area, multiple agencies (e.g., county, local unit of government, transportation agencies, etc.) typically have obligations and authority to manage storm water. An effective storm water management program, and particularly illicit discharge elimination efforts, requires a partnership between the County, local government, and other agencies that own, operate, or control storm water discharges within a given geographic area.

During 1999, over 45 communities and agencies in the Rouge River watershed, including Wayne County, have received coverage under the MDEQ storm water General Permit and have initiated the illicit discharge elimination program requirements of the permit. For information on Wayne County's Permit go to the "Stormwater Permit" section of the website. (Click here)

A key goal of WQD's IDEP is to facilitate partnerships with other local agencies and to provide coordinated, comprehensive, and cost-effective Illicit Discharge Elimination Services to reduce illegal and improper discharges to river, lakes and streams in Wayne County. WQD staff have prepared the following discussion on our Illicit Discharge Elimination Services to inform the public of ongoing activities and available services as well as to facilitate the coordination of similar activities with local units of government. Detailed below are the variety of illicit discharge elimination services and activities currently performed by the Water Quality Division and lists services available to communities and others for a fee.

Wayne County WQD Illicit Discharge Elimination Services

• Illicit Connection Investigations/Dye-Testing Inspections
• Complaint Investigation/24-Hour Hotline
• Advanced Investigations/Investigative Monitoring
• Illicit Discharge Elimination Training
• Community Program Administration and Reporting to MDEQ

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