Illicit Discharge/Illegal Dumping

Click here to view a pdf of the Town of Parker Illicit Discharge Detention and Elimination Manual. You'll need a copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader to view them, which is available at no charge from the link below.

If you notice any unusual substances in or around a storm drain or drainageway, please call our illicit discharge hotline at 303.805.6262.

Please have the following information ready when you call:

1. Your name and contact information
2. Location of the incident
3. When you saw the incident (date and time)
4. What materials were involved in the incident (if known)

The following are types of discharges that are not allowed to the stormwater system:

Sanitary wastewater sources such as:

• Sanitary wastewater (usually untreated) from improper sewerage connections, exfiltration or leakage
• Effluent from improperly operating or improperly designed septic tanks
• Overflow of sanitary sewer systems

Automobile maintenance and operation sources such as:

• Untreated (e.g., through a well maintained oil/water separator) commercial car wash wastewaters
• Untreated radiator flushing wastewaters
• Untreated engine degreasing wastes
• Improper oil, gasoline, and other automotive fluids disposal
• Leaky underground storage tanks
• Untreated leaking of oils, gasoline and other automotive fluids from automobiles

Landscape irrigation sources such as:

• Direct spraying of fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides onto impervious surfaces
• Over-application of fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides onto landscaping

Other sources such as:

• Laundry wastes
• Non-contact cooling waters
• Metal plating baths
• Dewatering of construction sites
• Washing of concrete ready-mix trucks
• Contaminated sump pump discharges
• Improper disposal of household toxic wastes
• Spills from roadway and other accidents
• Chemical, hazardous materials, garbage, and sanitary sludge landfills and disposal sites

Because the storm drains are separate from the sanitary sewer system, polluted waters flow directly into local streams and ultimately Cherry Creek without treatment.

The legal authority for prohibiting illicit discharges is contained in Section 6.01.130 of the Town of Parker Municipal Code. Any violation of this ordinance is illegal and could result in a fine. You can make a difference by calling!

The Town of Parker's Stormwater Division installs inlet markers on storm drains throughout Town to assist in minimizing illicit discharges. Please call the Public Works Department if you have a storm drain in your area that does not have an inlet marker.