Storm Water Programs and Permits
Stormwater runoff contains many types of pollutants from the urban and industrial landscape. Stormwater runoff or urban runoff does not receive treatment in most cases, and is the single largest source of surface water pollution to Bay Area waters. The Water Board regulates stormwater quality under authorities of the federal Clean Water Act and California’s Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act. We issue NPDES permits to dischargers of municipal and industrial stormwater runoff and operators of large construction sites.
On this page:- Municipal stormwater programs
- Industrial Facilities
- Construction Sites
- Staff Contacts
- Useful Links
- Municipal Regional Permit (MRP)
Municipal Stormwater Programs
In the United States, municipal stormwater programs have been regulated in two groups:
- Medium and large municipal storm drainage systems with populations of 100,000 or more; (“Phase I”)
- Smaller municipalities (“Phase II”)
- Industrial activities; and Construction sites larger than one acre
The Water Board has issued Phase I National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits primarily to county-wide collaboratives which include all of the cities in those counties, the county unincorporated area and the county flood control agency:
- Alameda Countywide Clean Water Program Order No. R2-2003-0021
- Contra Costa Clean Water Program Order No. 99-058
- Santa Clara Valley Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Program
- Order No. 01-024
- Fairfield-Suisun Sewer District in Solano County Order No. R2-2003–0034
- San Mateo Countywide Storm Water Pollution Prevention Program Order No. 99-059; amendment: Order No. R2–2003–0023
- City of American Canyon, Napa County, Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program Order No. 2000–004
- City of Vallejo CAS612006 [EPA Permit]
The Water Board is reissuing the region’s Phase 1 permits as a single region-wide permit for four major urban counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara and San Mateo, and including the cities of Fairfield, Suisun City and Vallejo. Municipal Regional Permit. The stakeholder process for developing this combined permit is currently underway; we anticipate bringing the permit before the Board for consideration in fall of 2008.
Smaller cities are regulated under a separate program (Phase II). Counties and Municipalities we permit under these permits include:
- Napa
- Solano
- Marin
- Sonoma
Industrial Facilities
Companies involved in a variety of industrial activities must be covered under a general industrial storm water permit. Permitted activities and facilities include manufacturing operations, transportation facilities where vehicles are maintained (including fueling and washing), landfills, hazardous waste sites, and other similar operations.
The industrial general permit requires that each facility notify the state, prepare and implement a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan, and monitor to determine the amount of pollutants leaving the site. Although the plan does not have to be submitted to the Water Board it must be available at each facility. The permitted company must also submit an annual report to the Board.
With State approval, the general permit allows group monitoring. In these cases only selected facilities within a group are monitored in order to characterize the whole group. Also, a company may be exempt from all or part of the general permit if industrial materials (including wastes, products, machinery, roof exhausts, etc.) are not exposed to rain.
Construction SitesConstruction activities that disturb more than five acres of land, and construction on smaller sites that are part of a larger project, must comply with a general permit that regulates storm water leaving construction sites. Site owners must notify the state, prepare and implement a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP), and monitor the effectiveness of the plan. The plan, which must also address control of polluntants in stormwater post-construction, does not have to be submitted to the Regional Board but must be on site and available to inspectors.
Each discharger must certify annually that construction activities are in compliance with the requirements of the General Permit and the SWPPP. A Construction Compliance Status Report Form must be completed and submitted to the Water Board by July 1 of each year.
Construction activities that maintain existing facilities, and do not involve a change in grade, are not required to be covered under the general permit.
Impervious Surface Data CollectionWater Board Staff Contacts:
| COUNTY/CITY | NAME | PHONE | |
| Alameda | Selina Louis | SLouie@waterboards.ca.gov | 510-622-2383 |
| Contra Costa | Matt Graul | MGraul@waterboards.ca.gov | 510-622-2381 |
| San Mateo | Habte Kifle | HKifle@waterboards.ca.gov | 510-622-2371 |
| Santa Clara | Sue Ma | SMa@waterboards.ca.gov | 510-622-2386 |
| Fairfield-Suisun, Vallejo | Jolanta Uchman | JUchman@waterboards.ca.gov | 510-622-2432 |
| American Canyon | Lila Tang | LTang@waterboards.ca.gov | 510-622-2425 |
| Marin | Marla Lafer | MLafer@waterboards.ca.gov | 510-622-2348 |
| Napa | Fred Hetzel | FHetzel@waterboards.ca.gov | 510-622-2383 |
| Solano | Jolanta Uchman | JUchman@waterboards.ca.gov | 510-622-2432 |
| Sonoma | Abigail Smith | ASmith@waterboards.ca.gov | 510-622-2413 |
| San Francisco | David Elias | DElias@waterboards.ca.gov | 510-622-2509 |
Phase II Municipal Stormwater Permits
Industrial Facilities
- Michelle Rembaum-Fox (Phone No. 510-622-2387): Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.
- David Elias (Phone No. 510- 622-2509): Alameda, San Francisco.
- Cecil Felix (Phone No. 510-622-2343): San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties.
Construction Sites
- Voicemail Line (Phone No. 510-622-2329) (Line is checked regularly each business day)
Useful Links
http://www.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater
The US Environmental Protection Agency website includes a copy of the EPA Phase II regulations and a series of fact sheets on the national requirements.
http://www.stormwatercenter.net
Billed as the storm water manager's resource center, the website has fact sheets, slide shows, ordinance examples, manual builder, and many other items.
http://www.epa.gov/oppbppd1/PESP/member_pages/basmaa.htm
The Association of Bay Area Stormwater Management Agency Association website includes information about local workshops and issues pertinent to the Bay Area.
http://www.abag.org
The Association of Bay Area Governments works to solve problems in areas such as land use, housing, environmental quality, and economic development.
http://www.mcstoppp.org/acrobat/GuidanceforApplicantsv_2-5-08.pdf
Marin County Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program A Low Impact Development Approach Guidance.
Available Literature
Last updated: 4/25/08