(Added by Ord. No. 172,176, Eff. 10/1/98.)
A. Prohibition of Non-Stormwater Discharges. (Amended by Ord. No. 183,833, Eff. 10/3/15.) No person shall discharge non-storm water to the storm drain system, unless authorized by a separate or general NPDES Permit, or if the discharge is exempted or conditionally exempted by the NPDES Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Permit (MS4) for Los Angeles County, as provided or as subsequently amended, or if granted as a special waiver or exemption by the Regional Board.
1. Exempt Discharges. The NPDES Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Permit (MS4) for Los Angeles County provides for the following non- stormwater discharges to be discharged into the storm drain system:
(a) Discharges separately regulated by an individual or general NPDES permit;
(b) Temporary discharges authorized by the USEPA;
(c) Discharges from emergency fire fighting activities; or
(d) Natural flows, including:
i. Natural springs;
ii. Flows from riparian habitats or wetlands;
iii. Diverted stream flows;
iv. Uncontaminated ground water infiltration; or
v. Rising ground waters.
2. Conditionally Exempt Discharges. The following non-stormwater discharges may be allowed to be discharged into the storm drain system, subject to all appropriate BMPs. The Board may review and adopt appropriate BMPs for any conditionally exempt discharges and place said BMPs in the Board’s “Rules and Regulations Governing the Discharge of Conditionally Exempt Non-Stormwater Discharges.” The Board may from time to time, as it deems appropriate, change, modify, revise or alter existing BMPs. It shall be the responsibility of any discharger to comply with all Board adopted BMPs in existence at the time of discharge of any non-stormwater discharge set forth on this Conditionally Exempt Discharge list. If the Board has not adopted BMPs for any of the below listed discharges, the discharger may allow such a discharge provided it is in compliance with all other requirements of the “Stormwater and Urban Runoff Pollution Control Ordinance.” Discharge of any of the below listed “Conditionally Exempt Discharges” at a time prior to the Board’s adoption of BMPs for that particular discharge shall not relieve the discharger from compliance with the BMPs for the discharge once they are adopted by the Board. The “Conditionally Exempt Discharges” are as follows:
(a) Discharges from essential non- emergency fire fighting activities;
(b) Discharges from drinking water supplier distribution systems;
(c) Dewatering of lakes and decorative foundations;
(d) Landscape irrigation;
(e) Dechlorinated / debrominated swimming pool/spa discharges;
(f) Non commercial car washing by residents or by non-profit organizations;
(g) Street/sidewalk wash water;
(h) Water from crawl space or basement pumps;
(i) Hillside dewatering;
(j) Naturally occurring groundwater seepage via a MS4;
(k) Non-anthropogenic flows from a naturally occurring stream via a culvert or the MS4; and
(l) Other categories approved by the Executive Officer of the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Los Angeles Region.
B. Illicit Connections. It is prohibited to establish, use, maintain, or continue illicit drainage connections to the City storm drain system, and to commence or continue any illicit discharges to the City storm drain system. This prohibition applies to connections made in the past. Improperly installed or defective rain diversion systems or devices that release pollutants into the storm drain system shall be considered illicit connections and shall be subject to removal or modifications. One year after the effective date of this article and after notification of the illicit connection, a person has ninety (90) days to remove or modify such connection. Any extension of time for removal or modification must be approved by the Board.
C. Storm Drain Connection Permits. No permit for any storm drain connection as required under Section 64.12 of this Code, shall be issued until the Board is satisfied that the discharge from the permitted connection will be in compliance with the provisions of this article and all applicable Federal and State discharge regulations or requirements.
D. Discharges Permitted By Industrial Wastewater Permits. Industrial Wastewater Permits issued for discharges of non-stormwater to the storm drain system, Waters of the State, and industrial waste discharges to points other than to the City’s Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW), that were previously permitted under Section 64.30 of this Code, shall be canceled by the Director. No Industrial Wastewater Permit will be required for discharges to any point other than to the POTW.
E. Reporting of Accidental Discharge to the Storm Drain System. (Added by Ord. No. 183,833, Eff. 10/3/15.) The Property owner, administrator, successors or other persons shall notify the Director of any accidental discharge to the City’s Stormdrain system as soon as any person who is either in charge of a facility or responsible for the emergency response for a facility has knowledge of any release of material, pollutants or waste which may result in pollutants or non-stormwater discharges entering the City Stormdrain system. Such person shall also take all necessary steps to ensure the full discovery, containment and clean-up of such release. A notice advising employees of the requirements of this provision and the telephone number to call to notify the Director of such release shall be permanently posted in a conspicuous place on the premises of each commercial or industrial establishment.