Article 2 — Management and Discharge Controls

A.

General. It is a violation of this chapter to throw, deposit, leave, maintain, keep, or permit to be thrown, deposited, placed, left or maintained, any pollutant 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 county. The only exception being where such pollutant is temporarily placed in an appropriate container with a spill containment system for later collection and removal. It is a violation of this chapter to cause or permit any dumpster, solid waste bin, or similar container to leak such that any pollutant is discharged into 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 county.

B.

Construction Sites. Any person performing construction work in the county shall comply with the provisions of this chapter, Sections 4.J.12 and 4.J.13 of Ordinance No. 457 and, Sections 5.1.D. and 5.2.E. of Ordinance No. 460.

C.

New Development and Redevelopment. New development or redevelopment projects shall control stormwater runoff so as to prevent any deterioration of water quality that would impair subsequent or competing uses of the water. The director of TLMA shall identify the BMPs that may be implemented to prevent such deterioration and shall identify the manner of implementation. The BMPs may, among other things, require new developments or redevelopments to do any of the following:

Increase permeable areas, by leaving highly porous soil and low-lying areas undisturbed; by incorporating landscaping and open space into the project design; by using porous materials for or near driveways and walkways; and by incorporating detention ponds and infiltration pits into the project design;

Direct runoff to permeable areas, by orienting it away from impermeable areas to swales, berms, green strip filters, gravel beds, and french drains; by installing rain-gutters oriented towards permeable areas; by modifying the grade of the property to divert flow to permeable areas and minimize the amount of stormwater runoff leaving the property; and by designing curbs, berms or other structures such that they do not isolate permeable or landscaped areas;

Maximize stormwater storage for reuse, by using retention structures, subsurface areas, cisterns, or other structures to store stormwater runoff for reuse or slow release.

D.

Existing Development. Existing development shall control stormwater runoff so as to prevent any deterioration of water quality that would impair subsequent or competing uses of the water. The director of TLMA shall identify the BMPs that may be implemented to prevent such deterioration and shall identify the manner of implementation.

E.

Commercial and Industrial Facilities. Any person or entity that owns or operates a commercial and/or industrial facility(s) shall comply with the provisions of this chapter and Ordinance Nos. 457 and 857. All such facilities shall be subject to a regular program of inspection as required by this chapter, Riverside County Ordinance Nos. 457 and 857, California Water Code Sections 13000 et seq. (Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act), Title 33 U.S.C. Sections 1251 et seq. (Clean Water Act), any applicable state or federal regulations promulgated thereto, and any related administrative orders or permits issued in connection therewith.

(Ord. 754.2 (part), 2006)

It is a violation of this chapter to establish, use, maintain, or continue illicit connections to the storm drain system, or to commence or continue any illicit discharges to the storm drain system. This prohibition against illicit connections and discharges is expressly retroactive and applies to connections and

discharges made in the past, regardless of whether permissible under the law or practices applicable or prevailing at the time of the connection or discharge.

(Ord. 754.2 (part), 2006)

The discharge of nonstormwater into the storm drain system is a violation of this chapter except as specified in this section.

A.

The discharge prohibition shall not apply to any discharge regulated under an NPDES permit or waiver issued to the discharger and administered by the state of California under the authority of the EPA, provided that the discharger is in full compliance with all requirements of the permit or waiver and other applicable laws or regulations.

B.

Discharges from the following activities will not be considered a violation of this chapter when properly managed: water line flushing and other discharges from potable water sources, runoff from landscape, lawn and agricultural irrigation allowed by the NPDES Permit applicable to that portion of the storm drain system in which the discharge occurs, diverted stream flows, rising ground waters, infiltration to separate storm drains, uncontaminated pumped ground water, foundation and footing drains, water from crawl space pumps, air conditioning condensation, springs, individual residential car washing, flows from riparian habitats and wetlands, dechlorinated swimming pool discharges or flows from firefighting. Regardless of the identified exceptions listed above, any non-stormwater discharge not authorized as part of any respective MS4 Permit is hereby prohibited within that particular basin.

(Ord. 754.2 (part), 2006)

(Ord. No. 754.3, § 1, 1-7-2020)

A.

Municipal NPDES Permit. Any discharge that would result in or contribute to a violation of an existing or future municipal NPDES permit(s) or any amendment or revision thereto or reissuance thereof, either separately considered or when combined with other discharges, is a violation of this chapter and 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 county in any administrative or judicial enforcement action relating to such discharge.

B.

NPDES Permit for Industrial/Commercial and Construction Activity. Any industrial discharger, discharger associated with construction activity, or other discharger subject to any NPDES permit issued by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the State Water Resources Control Board, the Santa Ana regional

water quality control board, the San Diego regional water quality control board or the Colorado River Basin regional water quality control board, shall comply with all requirements of such permit. Such dischargers shall specifically comply with the following permits: the industrial stormwater general permit, the construction activity stormwater general permit, and the dewatering general permit. Proof of compliance with such NPDES general permits may be required in a form acceptable to the director prior to issuance of any county grading, building, or occupancy permits.

(Ord. 754.2 (part), 2006)

An inspector employed by the county may enter free of charge, at any time, any premises, grounds, facilities or structures for which compliance is required by this chapter and inspect the premises, grounds, facilities and structures located therein for compliance with water quality requirements imposed by this chapter, Riverside County Ordinance Nos. 457 and 857, California Water Code Sections 13000 et seq. (Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act), Title 33 U.S.C. Sections 1251 et seq. (Clean Water Act) and any applicable state or federal regulations promulgated thereto, and any related administrative orders or permits issued in connection therewith.

(Ord. 754.2 (part), 2006)