Cotati Municipal Code Art. II Discharge Prohibitions

A. The release of non-storm water discharges to the city's storm drain system is prohibited.

B. The following discharges are exempt from the prohibition set forth in subsection A of this section:

1. Any discharge in compliance with a national pollution discharge elimination system (NPDES) permit issued to the discharger and administered by the state of California under the authority of the United States Environmental Protection Agency;

2. Discharges from the following activities provided that they comply with the terms of the city's NPDES permit, are not a significant source of pollutants and are conducted in accordance with the city's BMP plan:

a. Flushing of potable water from potable water lines and other discharges from potable water sources,

b. Incidental and minimal landscape irrigation and lawn watering,

c. Incidental and minimal runoff from irrigation water,

d. Diverted stream flows,

e. Natural springs and rising ground waters,

f. Uncontaminated ground water infiltration to storm drains,

g. Uncontaminated pumped ground water, foundation and footing drains,

h. Water from crawl space pumps,

i. Utility vault dewatering,

j. Gravity flow from foundation, footing and crawl drains,

k. Air conditioning condensate,

l. Runoff from noncommercial car washing by residents or nonprofit organizations,

m. Flows from riparian habitats and wetlands,

n. Dechlorinated/debrominated swimming pool discharges,

o. Flows from firefighting,

p. Flows from firefighting training and equipment repair activities,

q. Fire hydrant testing, and

r. Other flows necessary for implementing BMPs directed or approved by the program leader;

3. With written concurrence of the regional board, the city of Cotati may exempt in writing other non-storm water discharges that are neither a source of pollutants to the storm drain system nor waters of the U.S.

C. Any discharge that would result in, or contribute to, a violation of any NPDES permit for storm water discharges within the city and any amendment, revision, or reissuance of such permit, either separately considered or when combined with other discharges, is prohibited. Liability for any such discharge shall be the responsibility of the person(s) causing or responsible for the discharge, and such persons shall defend, indemnify and hold harmless the city, its officers, agents and employees in any administrative or judicial enforcement action relating to such discharge.

D. It is unlawful to establish, use, maintain or continue illicit connections to the city's storm drain system.

E. It is unlawful to establish, use, maintain or continue drainage connections to the city's storm drain system that are or may be a source of illegal discharges.

F. It is unlawful to commence or continue any illegal discharges to the city's storm drain system.

G. No person shall throw, deposit, leave, keep or permit to be thrown, deposited, placed, left or maintained, any refuse, household hazardous wastes or other hazardous wastes, garbage, debris, or other wastes, or other discarded or abandoned objects or articles in or upon any storm drain system or upon any public or private plot of land in the city so that the same might become a pollutant, except in lawfully established waste disposal facilities.

(Ord. 759 § 1(part), 2004; Ord. 795 § 1(part), 2007; Ord. 870 § 2(part), 2017)