Wauconda toughens hazardous materials laws

Wauconda is getting tough on anyone spilling or releasing hazardous materials in the village, including the storm sewer system and Bangs Lake.

Officials beefed up two ordinances regulating hazardous emissions and discharges into storm sewers. They now prohibit materials that could be dangerous to the environment, such as motor fuel, motor oil, paint, household cleaners, paint thinner, dry wall compound, even locks of hair.

"We have found (cut) hair in the storm sewer. We don't know where it came from," said Jackie Schramm, Wauconda's director of environmental quality. "The old storm sewer ordinance pretty much just prohibited sewage and industrial waste from going into the storm sewer. Really, the only thing that should go into a storm sewer is storm water."

Storm water collected in the system is not treated and drains into Bangs Lake, wetlands, creeks and other natural areas. The new rules make it unlawful to discharge hazardous materials into any natural areas.

"Legally, it strengthens the village's ability to recoup the costs of cleanup," Schramm said.

In April, the village hired an environmental firm to clean up roughly 30 gallons of diesel fuel that spilled into Bangs Lake, and forced officials to close the lake.

The leak came from a pick-up truck parked near the Wauconda Park District marina, where a contractor was working on a water line project. The village, at the time, could not fine the offender, but had them pay for the cleanup.

Now, violators could face a up to $750 fine for each offense. Anyone responsible for releasing hazardous materials would be liable to pay all removal or abatement costs.

Officials said they had been working on the changes for a while, and it was not a reaction to the Bangs Lake spill.

"It's for the whole village of Wauconda," Mayor Salvatore Saccomanno said. "The concept is to keep going step-by-step to become a more environmentally riendly community. We just wanted to make sure that our ordinances were as strong as they could be so that we could go after any violators."