Stormwater

Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program

This program is part of a Statewide effort to protect natural water bodies from pollution. This program is regulated by the State via the State Water Resources Control Board.

The water that drains down a sink or toilet in a home or business flows to the sanitary sewer and is treated by the City of San Diego at a wastewater treatment plant. The storm drain system, on the other hand, is designed to carry rainwater from City streets and driveways to prevent flooding. This water does not receive any treatment. It flows directly to creeks and rivers – terminating at the Pacific Ocean. Unfortunately, as rainfall flows over the ground, it picks up debris and pollutants and deposits them into our watersheds. To protect our natural resources, the prevention of pollution running into the storm drain system is imperative.

Be the Solution to Pollution (PDF)

Sea Parte de la Solución Contra la Contaminación (PDF)

Irrigation Runoff Prohibition

The discharge of irrigation runoff to the storm water conveyance system is a prohibited discharge under the City's Municipal Code Chapter 13.09.060.D.8. Over-irrigation runoff can carry significant quantities of pollutants that could end up in our creeks, rivers, lakes, and ocean. For more information about the City's prohibition on discharges of irrigation runoff, and to learn about ways to prevent over-irrigation and irrigation runoff, visit the City's Irrigation Runoff web page.

Best Management Practices

The City's Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program works with residents and businesses to help them learn the Best Management Practices (BMPs) to follow, so pollution does not go from their business via the storm drains into our creeks, lakes, rivers, and the ocean. The minimum BMPs for City land uses, activities and projects, including industrial, commercial, and municipal facilities or areas, construction sites, and development projects, are available in the City's Jurisdictional Runoff management Plan (JRMP) (available below), in Appendix B, Tables 1 and 2.

Additional Information

For questions relating to the City's Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program, please contact Tracy Beach, Senior Civil Engineer, at 858-668-4652. Please include your name, address, and daytime phone number, and provide as much information as possible about your question or concern.