Berkeley, CA Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)

20 was adopted to reduce non-stormwater discharges into the City's storm drain system and to protect the San Francisco Bay watershed consistent with the federal Clean Water Act. 040 retroactively bans any pipe or connection that conveys non-stormwater into that system, regardless of when it was installed or whether it was once permitted. 050 imposes an affirmative duty on anyone whose activities may send pollutants into storm drains: littering into streets, alleys, sidewalks, catch basins or drainage structures is prohibited; construction contractors must install filter materials at catch basins to capture debris; building and grading permit applicants must certify they will follow the state stormwater best-management-practices manual and, if subject to the state NPDES construction general permit, must show they filed a notice of intent with the State Water Resources Control Board; and parking lot and gas station operators must clean their sites without discharging pollutants into the drains.

Discharges tied to any NPDES permit violation, including the City's own permit (NPDES Permit No. 070. 080 covers things like lawn watering runoff, residential car washing, and dechlorinated pool draining after a five-day wait, provided the discharger minimizes non-stormwater flow. 090.