Danbury officials are working on a plan to reduce water pollution, in order to comply with new state and federal regulations.  The proposed Storm Water Ordinance was sent back to Committee for further consideration.  The regulations are connected to Danbury's municipal separate storm sewer system general permit from the state.  The ordnance will allow the City to track pollution found in local waterways back to their source, and notify a polluter to work with them to fix the issue.

Council Minority Leader Paul Rotello says if the ordinance language is adopted as written, the new law will create onerous regulations for homeowners.  He says it gives the City the power to obtain warrants to enter private property and there will be no grandfathering and no pre-existing non-conforming protections.  Rotello says helping to reduce pollution is a worthy goal, but unnecessarily turning every home owner into a violator is excessive and absurd.  There are concerns that the illicit discharge language makes it illegal to wash a car in a driveway connected to a city street.  If leaves from a homeowner's tree wash into the street, there was concern the language could be interpreted in a way that the resident is liable.

Public Works Director Antonio Iadarola says the intent of the ordinance is not to have people with a few grass clippings to be written up.  He's advocating that people who wash their cars in their driveway to be conscientious.

If Danbury violates the general permit, a specific permit would be written.  Iadarola says that would lead to chaos.  He also warned of possible concent decrees, court orders, mandatory oversight and mandatory staffing.