Last Updated 07/22/2026
The City of Auburn, under the NPDES program, also has the authority to inspect properties for noncompliance and can issue a notice of violation (NOV) for any deficiency or infraction onsite. Property owners are responsible for the maintenance of any stormwater facilities or practices located on the property. The City of Auburn has the authority to inspect stormwater facilities and practices in order to ascertain that they are properly maintained and functioning
Auburn Municipal Code
CH. 7: DRAINAGE & FLOOD CONTROL – ARTICLE III. – EROSION AND SEDIMENTATION CONTROL
Sec. 7-73. – Permits.
(a) Prior to any construction, land disturbing activities, or local approvals, any person disturbing greater than or equal to one acre shall apply for an NPDES permit.
(b) Permit by rule status will be assigned to those non-excluded land disturbing activities less than one acre in size. These sites, although not required to obtain an NPDES permit or submit for approval construction best management practices (CBMP) Plan, are still required to implement and maintain best management practices at the site and are subject to all provisions of this policy.
ARTICLE IV. – ILLICIT DISCHARGE
Sec. 7-108. – Inspection and monitoring.
(a) The city water resource management department or its authorized representative shall be permitted to enter and inspect facilities subject to regulation under this article as often as may be necessary to determine compliance with this article. If a discharger has security measures in force which require proper identification and clearance before entry into its premises, the discharger shall make the necessary arrangements to allow access.
(b) Facility operators shall allow the city water resource management department or its authorized representative ready access to all parts of the premises for the purposes of inspection, sampling, examination and copying of records that must be kept under the conditions of an NPDES permit to discharge storm water, and the performance of any additional duties as defined by state and federal law.
(c) The city water resource management department or its authorized representative shall have the right to set up on any permitted facility such devices as are necessary in the opinion of the city water resource management department to conduct monitoring and/or sampling of the facility’s storm water discharge.
(d) The city water resource management department or its authorized representative has the right to require the discharger to install monitoring equipment as necessary. The facility’s sampling and monitoring equipment shall be maintained at all times in a safe and proper operating condition by the discharger at its own expense. All devices used to measure storm water flow and quality shall be calibrated to ensure their accuracy.
(e) Any temporary or permanent obstruction to safe and easy access to the facility to be inspected and/or sampled shall be promptly removed by the operator at the written or oral request of the city water resource management department or its authorized representative and shall not be replaced. The costs of clearing such access shall be borne by the operator.
(f) Unreasonable delays in allowing the city water resource management department or its authorized representative access to a facility is a violation of this article. A person who is the operator of a facility with a NPDES permit to discharge storm water associated with industrial activity commits an offense if the person denies reasonable access to the permitted facility for the purpose of conducting any activity authorized or required by this article.
(g) If the city water resource management department or its authorized representative has been refused access to any part of the premises from which storm water is discharged, and he/she is able to demonstrate probable cause to believe that there may be a violation of this article, or that there is a need to inspect and/or sample as part of a routine inspection and sampling program designed to verify compliance with this article or any order issued hereunder, or to protect the overall public health, safety, and welfare of the community, then the city water resource management department or its authorized representative may seek issuance of a search warrant from any court of competent jurisdiction.
Sec. 7-109. – Best management practices (BMPs).
All industrial facilities and high risk facilities are required to implement, at their own expense, structural and nonstructural BMPs, as appropriate, to prevent the discharge of pollutants to the MS4. Further, the city water resource management department may require any person responsible for a property or premise, which is, or may be, the source of an illicit discharge, to implement, at said person’s expense, additional structural and non-structural BMPs to prevent the discharge of pollutants to the MS4. To the extent practicable, the city water resource management department shall recognize that storage and handling of significant materials, material handling equipment or activities, intermediate products or industrial machinery in such a manner that they are not exposed to storm water is an effective BMP. Compliance with all terms and conditions of a valid NPDES permit authorizing the discharge of storm water associated with industrial activity, to the extent practicable, shall be deemed in compliance with the provisions of this section.
Sec. 7-110. – Good housekeeping.
Commercial areas and industrial facilities shall employ good housekeeping practices to prevent debris such as paper, bottles, cans, plastic, etc., from entering the MS4 from areas such as parking lots, loading zones, sidewalks, trash cans and dumpster sites. It shall be unlawful for any person to discharge chemicals, waste products or any pollutant to the parking lot or grounds of a commercial area or an industrial facility.
City of Auburn Stormwater Management Plan
5.0 POST‐CONSTRUCTION STORMWATER MANAGEMENT
5.1 Rationale Statement
The City’s post‐construction stormwater management program is primarily designed to address stormwater pollution from nutrients, sediments, pathogens and other various pollutants.
The strategy for the target audiences described above will vary depending on the type of audience and the potential risk and impact of pollutant contribution from post‐construction stormwater runoff. Overall management and implementation of the City’s post‐construction stormwater management program will be the responsibility of the City’s Water Resource Management Department as detailed in Section 1.4.
Overall success of our post‐construction stormwater management program will primarily be gauged through water quality monitoring as well as visual observations of stream erosion and flooding impacts. Specific components and measurable goals within our post‐construction stormwater management program will consist of the following best management practices (BMPs):
5.3 STRUCTURAL BMPS
5.3.1 Detention Pond Inspections
Existing detention ponds need periodic inspections to evaluate the maintenance and operation of these vital components of the City’s drainage system and can often identify potential problems. The Public Works Department and the Water Resource Management Department conduct annual inspections of all detention ponds (public and private) listed in the City’s stormwater inventory. Upon inspection, the owner of the pond is notified of any corrective actions needed. Enforcement measures are taken if the owner does not address the items listed in the report.
The City will continue to inspect detention ponds within the City on an annual basis during the next permit cycle. These inspections primarily affect the owner of the facilities.
5.4 Ordinances/Regulations for Post‐Construction Stormwater Management
The City has a variety of ordinances and regulations in place for managing post construction stormwater runoff. A brief description of those ordinances/regulations is below:
- Chapter 7 of the Auburn City Code – Provides regulations for stormwater drainage and flood control in the City of Auburn, as well as illicit `1 discharges and erosion and sediment control; Currently being revised;
- Design and Construction Manuals – Detailed in Section 6.2.1;
- Zoning Ordinance – Establishes development criteria and guidelines for developments within the City.
5.5 Long‐Term Maintenance of BMPs
Long‐term maintenance of structural BMPs is a critical component to ensure that these BMPs continue to function as originally designed. Maintenance guidelines for detention ponds can be found in Chapter 7 of the Auburn City Code, while maintenance guidelines for other structural water quality BMPs can be found in the Water Resource Management Design and Construction Manual. The Public Works Design and Construction Manual also provides requirements for a maintenance agreement that ensures the long term maintenance of these structures. During this next permit cycle, the City will continue working to issue and update standard agreements or other mechanisms for developers, homeowner associations, and other groups to ensure the long‐term maintenance of these structural BMPs.
Water Resource Management Design and Construction Manual
SECTION 4 Stormwater Quality, Erosion, and Sediment Control
The City has been identified by ADEM as an NPDES Stormwater Phase II community. One requirement of the Phase II program is to develop and implement a stormwater management program for construction and post-construction conditions. This section of the Manual is designed to provide resources to local agencies, engineers, developers, or others involved in erosion control and stormwater management in the City for helping to meet the NPDES Phase II requirements.
4.4.1.1 Structural Stormwater Controls–Categories and Applicability
A non-disturbed watershed generally has stormwater storage widely distributed in small-volume components throughout the watershed (shallow depressions, porous soils, etc.). This natural storage usually is reduced when urbanization occurs. If the reduction is significant, onsite stormwater storage measures are required to offset the increase in stormwater peak discharge and the reduction in water quality. These measures are known as stormwater BMPs, a variety of which have been developed to address specific stormwater quality or quantity concerns. Because the City has been designated by ADEM as a Phase II Small MS4 community under the NPDES, the City is required to show that stormwater runoff into local streams does not degrade the water quality of the stream. This section identifies various types of stormwater BMPs that are deemed to be appropriate for use in the Auburn area and to achieve compliance with the NPDES requirements. In addition to the types of stormwater hydrologic controls, this section discusses which BMP is most suitable to achieve specific treatment objectives and the general design considerations for each BMP.
Structural stormwater BMPs are engineered facilities intended to treat stormwater runoff and/or mitigate the effects of increased stormwater runoff peak rate, volume, and velocity caused by urbanization.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who enforces stormwater compliance in Auburn, Alabama?
The City of Auburn’s Water Resource Management Department enforces stormwater compliance under Chapter 7 of the Auburn City Code. The department has the authority to inspect properties for noncompliance and issue a notice of violation for any deficiency found on-site. Property owners are responsible for maintaining any stormwater facilities located on their property, regardless of who generates the runoff.
Does my property need an NPDES permit for construction in Auburn?
Any land-disturbing activity of one acre or more requires an NPDES permit before construction begins. Sites under one acre fall under permit-by-rule status. They are not required to obtain an NPDES permit or submit a construction best management practices plan, but they must still implement and maintain best management practices and remain subject to all provisions of the city’s erosion and sedimentation control ordinance.
How often does the City of Auburn inspect detention ponds?
The Public Works Department and the Water Resource Management Department conduct annual inspections of every detention pond in the city’s stormwater inventory, public and private. If an inspection identifies corrective action, the pond owner is notified directly. Owners who do not address the items in the report are subject to enforcement measures.
What happens if the city denies access for a stormwater inspection?
Unreasonable delays in granting the Water Resource Management Department access to a facility violate Auburn’s illicit discharge ordinance. Operators with an NPDES industrial permit who deny reasonable access can be cited for an offense. If access is refused and the city has probable cause to suspect a violation, it can seek a search warrant to complete the inspection.
What is a BMP plan, and does my property need one?
A best management practices, or BMP, plan outlines how a property will control pollutants before they reach the city’s storm sewer system. Any site discharging stormwater into Auburn’s system from industrial activity or a high-risk facility must develop and implement one. If the city requests the plan for review, the property owner must provide it within 10 days.
Why is Auburn classified as an NPDES Phase II community?
The Alabama Department of Environmental Management designated Auburn a Phase II Small MS4 community under the NPDES program. That designation requires the city to prove that stormwater runoff from local development does not degrade the water quality of nearby streams, which is why post-construction stormwater management and annual detention pond inspections are built into the city’s permit cycle.
What are the most common stormwater violations Auburn cites property owners for?
Illicit discharges are a leading source of violations. Auburn’s ordinance prohibits releasing chemicals, waste products, or any pollutant onto the grounds or parking lot of a commercial or industrial facility, and it requires good housekeeping practices to keep debris out of the storm sewer system. Detention pond deficiencies found during annual inspections and missing or outdated maintenance agreements are also common findings.
Who is responsible for long-term maintenance of stormwater structures in Auburn?
The property owner. Auburn’s design and construction standards require a maintenance agreement for structural best management practices to ensure they continue functioning as designed over time. Maintenance guidelines for detention ponds are set out in Chapter 7 of the Auburn City Code, while guidelines for other structural water quality controls appear in the city’s Water Resource Management Design and Construction Manual.
How can AQUALIS help my property stay compliant with Auburn's stormwater ordinance?
AQUALIS supports Auburn property owners with inspections, maintenance, and repair of detention ponds and other stormwater infrastructure, along with the recordkeeping the city requires to demonstrate compliance. That includes preparing for annual detention pond inspections and helping resolve any deficiencies before they escalate to a notice of violation.
The information on this page is provided for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Regulations change frequently — AQUALIS makes no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of this content, and any reliance on it is at your own risk. Consult a qualified professional or your local regulatory authority to confirm requirements applicable to your specific property.
