Anaheim, CA Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- AMC Chapter 10.09, NPDES Ordinance
- Core prohibition
- No illicit connections or prohibited discharges (Sec. 10.09.020)
- New development trigger
- Water quality plan required since Jan. 12, 1995
- Nonconforming grace period
- 5 years structural, 6 months nonstructural
- Misdemeanor penalty
- Up to $1,000 and 6 months jail
- Infraction penalty
- $100/$200/up to $500 for repeat offenses
- Nuisance basis
- Government Code Sec. 38771
Summary
Anaheim bans illicit connections and prohibited discharges into its storm drain system citywide under AMC Chapter 10.09, the local National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System ordinance. New development and significant redevelopment must get a City-approved water quality management plan before breaking ground, and violations can be enforced as a misdemeanor, an infraction, or a public nuisance the City Attorney can sue to abate.
No person shall: (1) Construct, maintain, operate and/or utilize any illicit connection; (2) Cause, allow or facilitate any prohibited discharge; (3) Act, cause, permit or suffer any agent, employee, or independent contractor, to construct, maintain, operate or utilize any illicit connection, or cause, allow or facilitate any prohibited discharge.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-28: Code: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. 6627, passed 8-11-2026 | Zoning: Local legislation current through Ord. 6627, passed 8-11-2026).
Full Breakdown
020. The prohibition applies regardless of whether the connection existed before the ordinance was adopted, though legal nonconforming connections get a grace period, five years for structural connections and six months after notice for nonstructural ones like altered surface-flow patterns, before they become illicit. 030 requires new development and significant redevelopment projects, starting January 12, 1995, to prepare a water quality management plan meeting Public Works Department requirements and to get that plan approved before a grading permit, building permit, conditional use permit, or, for projects needing no such permit, before any discretionary land use approval or subdivision map recordation.
A single-family home is exempt from the plan requirement unless Public Works determines the construction could discharge a significant pollutant load. The Director can waive the plan for de minimis projects, or require an operational discharge permit for ongoing operations after construction. Every water quality management plan must name a responsible party, and the Public Works Department can require the plan be recorded with the County Recorder against the property. 6.
Violations & Fines
A violation of Anaheim's NPDES ordinance can be prosecuted as a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, up to six months in jail, or both, under Section 10.09.060(.030)(3). The City Attorney can instead charge it as an infraction, $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second, and up to $500 for each further violation within a year. The City also treats an illicit connection or discharge as a public nuisance under Government Code Section 38771, letting it seek a court order to abate the condition and recover costs as a property lien.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Anaheim
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