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To report an illicit discharge, call Rochester 311 Monday – Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or Non-Emergency Police Dispatch at (507) 328-6800 on evenings and weekends.
In your report, provide:
The City of Rochester looks into any suspected cases of illegal dumping. It is illegal for substances other than rainwater to flow into storm drains, ditches, or natural water bodies like the Zumbro River—whether by accident or on purpose. Examples include pouring motor oil or antifreeze down a drain, dumping chemical cleaners or industrial waste, or failing to properly manage stormwater runoff at construction sites. These actions are unlawful and are regulated by the city's rules under Chapter 6-4 of the Rochester Code of Ordinances.
How does a small amount affect the environment?
It only takes a very small amount of many types of chemicals to harm fish, plants and other aquatic organisms. For example, just one teaspoon of mercury is enough to contaminate more than 13 Olympic-sized swimming pools of drinking water. Another example is discharging concrete washout into a lake or stream; this can kill fish due to increased pH.
Most of these chemicals enter our water systems through improper or accidental disposal outside.
An illicit discharge is any pollutant discharged to a storm sewer system that is harmful to the health or welfare of people, the environment, wildlife or surface waters. Illicit discharges include:
Illicit discharges could be intermittent - only occurring a few minutes per day or a few days per year, continuous - occurring almost daily, or transitory - only occurring once.
Water line flushing, residential car washing, draining dechlorinated swimming pools (left to rest for several days after treatment), firefighting, and lawn watering are not considered illicit.
To learn about proper disposal methods for liquids such as paint, visit the Olmsted County Hazardous Waste Facility webpage.
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