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An Official Vermont Government Website

Notice of Untreated or Unpermitted Discharges

Sewer overflows and release events have the potential to pose a threat to human and/or environmental health. 

Avoid swimming, wading, boating, or fishing after wastewater overflow, releases, or illicit discharges!

Contact Recreation Caution - Boating. Similar to a road sign. A black image on a white background of a person on a boat paddling. All is surrounded by a red circle with line through it indicating no boating.     Contact Recreation Caution - Fishing. Similar to a road sign. A black image on a white background of a person siting next to water holding a fishing rod with fish. All is surrounded by a red circle with line through it indicating no fishing.     Contact Recreation Caution - Swimming. Similar to a road sign. A black image of a person swimming on a white background. All is surrounded by a red circle with line through it indicating no swimming.

 

Subscribe to alerts and notifications! - Subscribe here to receive email or text notifications when new public alerts, sewer overflow and release incident reports, or unpermitted discharges are reported. 

 

How to Submit a Public Alert and Incident Report for an Untreated Discharge or Authorized Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) or Sanitary Sewer Overflow (SSO):

Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) Operators are required to follow the Procedure for Public Notice of Untreated Discharges and Unpermitted Discharges to Vermont's Surface Waters public notice, reporting, and signage requirements in the event of an untreated discharge to waters of the State. This procedure has been developed in response to Act 86 (H.674): An Act Relating to Public Notice of Wastewater Discharges. You can view submitted Public Alerts and Incident Reports for combined sewer overflow and untreated discharge events on our report dashboard.

 

Step 1: WWTF operators must Submit a Public Alert as soon as possible but no later than 4 hours of discovery of an untreated sewage discharge to our electronic alert system. This includes combined sewer overflows and sanitary sewer discharges that may reach waters of the state.
  • The public alert system is mobile friendly.
  • The email address provided when submitting the alert will also receive a confirmation email. 
  • Once submitted, the Public Alert will be immediately available for public viewing on the Public Alerts and Reported Sewer Overflow and Release Incident Reports webpage.
Step 2: WWTF operators must Submit an Incident Report within 12 hours of discovery, notify the Program and the Town Health Officer(s), of each untreated sewage discharge from the WWTF or collection system.
Step 3:  WWTF Operators must post:

  • Notice Sign for Public Access Areas. At the top large black letters on white background state NOTICE Potential Threat TO PUBLIC HEALTHTemporary “Notice of Potential Threat to Public Health” signs at public access areas downstream within one mile of sewage discharges and other unpermitted discharges identified by the Secretary that may pose a threat to human health or the environment.  Keep posted for 48 hours, after the untreated or unpermitted discharge has stopped. A sign template is available here for your use.

     

  • CSO Caution Sign. A blue sign with large orange letters stating CAUTION Combined Sewer Discharge PointPermanent “Caution for Combined Sewer Discharge Point” Signs at each active CSO Outfall. The Department had 12”x18” aluminum signs made for each CSO outfall in Vermont. Operators are responsible for maintaining and ensuring these signs can be readily seen at each active CSO outfall.

 

Reported Illicit and Unpermitted Discharge Releases 

View Unpermitted Discharges of wastewater, industrial process water, dumping or spills into waters of the State either directly or through Stormwater-only drainage systems or other conveyance. These discharges have been identified and found that they may pose a threat to human health or the environment.