New York Laws
Title 17 - Discharge of Sewage Into Waters
17-1701 - Definition of Sewage; Discharge of Sewage and Other Matter Into Certain Waters Prohibited.

into certain waters prohibited.

1. For the purposes of this title sewage shall be defined as any
substance, solid or liquid that contains any of the waste products or
excrementitious or other wastes or washings from the bodies of human
beings or animals.

2. No person, corporation or municipality, shall place or cause to be
placed, or discharged or cause to be discharged into any of the waters
of this state, in quantities injurious to the public health, or in
violation of standards, criteria, limitations, rules or regulations
promulgated or applied pursuant hereto, any sewage, garbage, offal, or
any decomposable or putrescible matter of any kind or the effluent from
any sewage disposal plant, or any substance, chemical or otherwise, or
any refuse or waste matter, either solid or liquid, from any sewer or
drainage system or from any shop, factory, mill or industrial
establishment; unless express permission to do so shall have been first
given in writing by the commissioner as provided in this article, except
as hereinafter provided.

3. This section shall not prevent the discharge of sewage from any
public sewer system owned and maintained by a municipality until an
order prohibiting same shall be made as hereinafter provided, or the
discharge of refuse or waste matter from any shop, factory, mill or
industrial establishment, if such sewer system was in operation and was
discharging sewage, or such shop, factory, mill or industrial
establishment was in operation and discharging refuse or waste matter,
into any of the waters of this state on or prior to May 7, 1903, and
such municipality or the proprietor of such shop, factory, mill or
industrial establishment secured exemption from this section by filing a
report with the commissioner in accordance with law, nor to any
extension or modification of such shop, factory, mill or industrial
establishment, or reconstruction thereof, provided the refuse or waste
matter discharged therefrom is not materially changed or increased; but
this exception shall not permit any increase in the discharge of such
sewage, or in the discharge of refuse or waste matter from any shop,
factory, mill or industrial establishment, nor shall it permit the
discharge of sewage from a sewer system which shall be extended,
modified or reconstructed subsequent to said date.

* NB Expired September 1, 1973