Wisconsin § 283.33 - Storm water discharge permits.

Full text of Wisconsin Wisconsin Statutes § 283.33 — Storm water discharge permits., with citation guidance and answers to common questions.

§ 283.33. Storm water discharge permits.

283.33(1) (1) Requirement. Except as provided in sub. (1m) , an owner or operator shall obtain a permit under this section for any of the following: 283.33(1)(a) (a) A discharge from a discernible, confined, and discrete conveyance of storm water associated with an industrial activity that meets criteria in rules promulgated by the department. 283.33(1)(am) (am) A discharge from a discernible, confined, and discrete conveyance of storm water associated with a construction site, including a construction site for a building, that meets criteria in rules promulgated by the department. 283.33(1)(b) (b) A discharge of storm water from a municipal separate storm sewer system serving an incorporated area with a population of 100,000 or more, as determined by the 1990 federal census. 283.33(1)(c) (c) A discharge of storm water from a municipal separate storm sewer system serving an area located in an urbanized area, as determined by the U.S. bureau of the census based on the latest decennial federal census. 283.33(1)(cg) (cg) A discharge of storm water from a municipal separate storm sewer system serving an area with a population of 10,000 or more and a population density of 1,000 or more per square mile, if the system is designated by the department to be regulated under this section based on an evaluation of whether the storm water discharge results in, or has the potential to result in, water quality standards being exceeded, including impairment of designated uses, or in other significant water quality impacts, including habitat and biological impacts. 283.33(1)(cr) (cr) A discharge of storm water from a municipal separate storm sewer system that is designated by the department to be regulated under this section because the system contributes substantially to the pollutant loadings of a physically interconnected municipal separate storm sewer system that is regulated under this section. 283.33(1)(d) (d) A discharge of storm water from a facility or activity, other than a facility or activity under pars. (a) to (cr) , if the department determines that the discharge either contributes to a violation of a water quality standard or is a significant contributor of pollutants to the waters of the state. 283.33(1m) (1m) Exemptions; limitation on local permitting. 283.33(1m)(a) (a) An owner or operator is not required to obtain a permit under this section for any of the following: 283.33(1m)(a)1. 1. A discharge of storm water associated with planting, growing, cultivating, or harvesting crops for use or consumption by humans, livestock, as defined in s. 95.80 (1) (b) , or poultry, including sod farms and tree nurseries. 283.33(1m)(a)2. 2. A discharge of storm water associated with pasturing or yarding livestock, as defined in s. 95.80 (1) (b) , or poultry. 283.33(1m)(a)3. 3. A discharge of storm water from land containing dredged material removed from a drainage district ditch, if the land is adjacent to the ditch from which the dredged material was removed. 283.33(1m)(a)4. 4. Any other discharge of storm water exempted by the department by rule from obtaining a permit under this section. 283.33(1m)(b) (b) A political subdivision may not require an owner or operator to obtain a permit from the political subdivision for any discharge described under par. (a) 1. to 4. In this paragraph, “political subdivision” means a city, village, town, or county. 283.33(1m)(c) (c) The exemptions under par. (a) and the prohibition under par. (b) do not apply to the construction of barns, manure storage facilities, barnyard runoff control systems, or other similar structures. 283.33(2) (2) Municipal separate storm sewer systems; applications. The owner or operator of a portion of a municipal separate storm sewer system for which a permit is required under sub. (1) shall do one of the following: 283.33(2)(a) (a) Submit a permit application for its portion of the municipal separate storm sewer system. 283.33(2)(b) (b) Submit a permit application jointly with one or more other owners or operators of the municipal separate storm sewer system. 283.33(2)(c) (c) Authorize a regional authority with control over discharges to a separate storm sewer system that serves areas in more than one municipality to submit an application for a permit that covers the owner’s or operator’s portion of the municipal separate storm sewer system and other portions of the system if all of the following apply: 283.33(2)(c)1. 1. The regional authority, together with the owners or operators, has authority over a storm water management program that will be in operation by the deadline established by the department. 283.33(2)(c)2. 2. The regional authority or the owners or operators demonstrate their ability to supply all of the required application information by the deadlines established by the department. 283.33(2)(c)3. 3. Each of the owners or operators of a portion of the system covered by the application provides the information required by the department. 283.33(3) (3) Municipal separate storm sewer systems; permits. 283.33(3)(a) (a) The department may issue one permit for all discharges from a municipal separate storm sewer system for which a permit is required under sub. (1) or may issue separate permits for each municipality served by the system, for each type of discharge from the system, for individual discharges from the system or for other categories specified by the department. 283.33(3)(b) (b) If the department issues more than one permit for discharges from a municipal separate storm sewer system, the permits may specify differing requirements. 283.33(3)(c) (c) In a permit for part or all of a municipal separate storm sewer system, the department may specify differing conditions relating to different discharges covered by the permit, including differing management programs for the various drainage areas that contribute storm water to the system. 283.33(4) (4) Discharges through municipal separate storm sewer systems. 283.33(4)(a) (a) In addition to obtaining a permit under this section, the owner or operator of an activity described in sub. (1) (a) or (am) that discharges storm water through a municipal separate storm sewer system described in sub. (1) (b) to (cr) shall submit the following information to the owner or operator of the municipal separate storm sewer system: 283.33(4)(a)1. 1. The name of the facility from which the release occurs. 283.33(4)(a)2. 2. The name and address of a person to contact for information about the discharge. 283.33(4)(a)3. 3. The location of the discharge. 283.33(4)(a)4. 4. A description of the principal products or services provided by the facility and the number of any permit covering the facility. 283.33(4)(b) (b) 283.33(4)(b)1. 1. If a person required to provide information under par. (a) is releasing storm water into the municipal separate storm sewer system before the system is subject to sub. (1) , the person shall provide the information no later than 60 days after the system becomes subject to sub. (1) . 283.33(4)(b)2. 2. If a person required to provide information under par. (a) is not releasing storm water into the municipal separate storm sewer system before the system is subject to sub. (1) , the person shall provide the information no later than 180 days before beginning to release storm water into the system. 283.33(4m) (4m) Transportation activities. 283.33(4m)(a) (a) In this subsection, “transportation activity” has the meaning given in s. 30.2022 (1g) . 283.33(4m)(b) (b) 283.33(4m)(b)1. 1. The department of natural resources shall issue a general permit under this section on or before June 30, 2018, that authorizes the department of transportation to discharge storm water from the site of a transportation activity. A general permit issued under this paragraph is subject to the requirements for general permits issued under s.

Source: official Wisconsin text · Last verified 2026-08-27

Frequently Asked Questions About Wisconsin § 283.33

What does Wisconsin Statutes § 283.33 cover?

Section 283.33 ("Storm water discharge permits.") is part of the Wisconsin Statutes, the codified statutory law of Wisconsin. It sets out the legal rule or procedure described in the text above. Statutes are amended regularly, so always verify against the official source.

How do I cite Wisconsin § 283.33?

A common citation format is "Wisconsin Statutes § 283.33" (Wisconsin). Legal writing may require the code abbreviation, section number, and year or edition. Match the style required by your court, professor, or publisher.

Is this the official text of Wisconsin law?

No. This page is for research and education and may not include the most recent amendments. For official current law, check the Wisconsin official source linked on this page or consult a licensed Wisconsin attorney.

How does Wisconsin § 283.33 apply to my situation?

Statutes are interpreted in context, and application depends on your specific facts. Only a licensed attorney in Wisconsin can advise on how this section applies to you. Contact your state or local bar association for a referral.

Sources & Verification

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