El Monte Municipal Code Art. II Discharge Regulations and Requirements

A. The discharge of nonstorm discharges to the city storm drain system is prohibited. All discharges of material other than stormwater discharges must be in compliance with an NPDES permit issued for the discharge (other than the municipal NPDES Permit).

B. Exemptions to Discharge Prohibition. The following discharges are exempt from the prohibition set forth in this section.

1. The prohibition of discharges shall not apply to any discharge regulated under a National Pollutant 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, provided that the discharger is in full compliance with all requirements of the permit and other applicable laws or regulations.

2. Discharges from the following activities will not be considered a source of pollutants to waters of the United States when properly managed: water line flushing and other discharges from potable water sources, landscape irrigation and lawn watering, irrigation water, diverted stream flows, rising groundwaters, infiltration to separate storm drains, uncontaminated pumped groundwater, foundation and footing drains, water from crawl space pumps, air conditioning condensation, springs, individual residential car washings, flows from riparian habitats and wetlands, dechlorinated swimming pool discharges or flows from fire fighting, accordingly are not subject to the prohibition of discharges.

(Ord. 2572 § 4, 2002: prior code § 7807)

Any discharge that would result in or contribute to a violation of the municipal NPDES Permit (this permit is available for viewing at the City of El Monte, Community Development Department, 11333 Valley Boulevard, El Monte, California) and any amendment, revision or reissuance thereof, 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 in any administrative or judicial enforcement action relating to such discharge.

(Ord. 2572 § 5, 2002: prior code § 7808)

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 is expressly retroactive and applies to connections made in the past, regardless of whether made under a permit or other authorization or whether permissible under the law or practices applicable or prevailing at the time of the connection.

(Prior code § 7809)

Any person engaged in activities which will or may result in pollutants entering the city storm drain system shall undertake all practical measures to reduce such pollutants. Example of such activities include ownership and use of facilities which may be a source of pollutants such as parking lots, gasoline stations, industrial facilities, stores fronting streets, etc. The following minimum requirements shall apply:

A. 1.

Littering. No person shall throw, deposit, leave, maintain, keep, or permit to be thrown, deposited, placed, left or maintained, any refuse, rubbish, garbage, or other discarded or abandoned objects, articles, and accumulations, in or upon any street, alley, sidewalk, storm drain, inlet, catch basin, conduit or other drainage structures, business place, or upon any public or private plot of land in the city, so that the same might be or become a pollutant, except containers or in lawfully established waste disposal facilities.

2. The occupant or tenant, or in the absence of occupant or tenant, the owner, lessee or proprietor of any real property in the city in front of which there is a paved sidewalk shall maintain said sidewalk free of dirt or litter to the maximum extent practicable. Sweepings from said sidewalk shall not be swept or otherwise made or allowed to go into the gutter or roadway, but shall be disposed of in receptacles maintained on said real property as required for the disposal of garbage.

3. No person shall throw or deposit litter in any fountain, pond, lake, stream, or any other body in a park or elsewhere within the city.

B. Standard for Parking Lots and Similar Structures. Persons owning or operating a paved parking lot, gas station pavement, paved private street or road, or similar structure, shall clean those structures as frequently and thoroughly as practicable in a manner that does not result in discharge of pollutants to the city storm drain system.

C. Best Management Practices for New Developments and Redevelopments. The Director may adopt regulations establishing controls on the volume and rate of stormwater runoff from new developments and redevelopments as may be appropriate to minimize the discharge and transport of pollutants. The Director may require of any construction contractor performing work in the city a water pollution prevention plan prior to final map approval, or issuance of a building permit whichever first occurs.

D. Notification of Intent and Compliance with General Permits. Each industrial discharger, discharger associated with construction activity, or other discharger, described in any general stormwater permit addressing such discharges, as may be adopted by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the State Water Resources Control Board, or the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, shall provide notice of intent, comply with, and undertake all other activities required by any general stormwater permit applicable to such discharges. Each discharger identified in an individual NPDES permit relating to stormwater discharges shall comply with and undertake all activities required by such permit.

E. Compliance with Best Management Practices. Where Best Management Practices guidelines or requirements have been adopted by any federal, state of California, regional, and/or City Agency, for any activity, operation, or facility which may cause or contribute to stormwater pollution or contamination, illicit discharges, and/or discharges of nonstormwater to the stormwater system, every person undertaking such activity or operation, or owning or operating such facility shall comply with such guidelines or requirements as may be identified by the Director.

(Ord. 2572 §§ 6, 7, 2002; prior code § 7810)