Public Works & Environmental Services
Refuse, Yard Waste & Recycling Collection
Mayor's Climate Protection Agreement
Illicit Discharge Elimination Program
The development and enforcement of an Illicit Discharge Elimination Plan (IDEP)
is a major requirement of the City of East Lansing's Storm Water Discharge Permit. An approvable IDEP must include the following components: verifying point source
discharge locations; field screening of all discharges to identify potential problems;
eliminating problem discharges once identified and tested; enacting an enforceable ordinance to provide for the elimination of illicit discharges; and providing for
proper siting and maintenance of on-site sewage disposal systems.
A "point source discharge" is defined as an outfall from a drainage system to waters
of the state, or a point where a storm water drainage system discharges into a system
operated by another public body. "Waters of the State" are defined to mean all of
the following: the Great Lakes and their connecting waters; all inland lakes; rivers;
streams; impoundments; open drains; and other surface bodies of water within the
confines of the State.
As defined in the Stormwater Management Plans, the City of East Lansing drains to
two different major watersheds, 1) the Red Cedar River Watershed and 2) Looking Glass
River Watershed. The City has identified 13 waters of the state within the Looking
Glass River Watershed and four waters of the state within the Red Cedar Watershed.
The City has reviewed their records and completed a field investigation of these
17 waters of the state and has identified over 220 individual point source discharges.
Specific information has been gathered for all 220 such point source discharges.
Each of the point source discharges was inspected during dry weather flow to determine
if flow was present. Any point source discharges which exhibited discharge during
dry weather conditions and/or showed signs of odors, deposits, floatable matter,
or other signs of an illicit discharge were then sampled, tested, and investigated.
If the results from the chemical and biological test indicate the presence of a
sanitary waste, chemical waste, or other illicit discharge, the upstream system
will be investigated until the source of the illicit discharge can be found. The
City will then make sure that any illicit discharge is removed from the storm water
system.
In order to assure that the City of East Lansing has the ability to enforce the
concepts of the IDEP, the City Council approved revisions to the MUNICIPAL CODE-
CHAPTER 46- UTILITIES, ARTICLE IV., SEPARATE STORM SEWER SYSTEM SERVICE in 2007.
[City Code]
Over 99% of the parcels within the City of East Lansing are served by public sanitary
sewers. As such, only a few isolated parcels are still served by individual on-site
sewage disposal systems. The on-site sewage disposal systems are permitted through
the individual County Departments of Health.
Anyone who is aware of or suspects an illicit discharge is entering a water
of the state should contact the City of East Lansing Department of Public Works
at (517) 337-9459