California Water Code sections 13260 and 13383 implement the federal Clean Water Act through statewide MS4 NPDES permits issued by the State and Regional Water Boards, binding all municipal stormwater dischargers uniformly.
Water Code 13260 requires anyone discharging waste into state waters to file a Report of Waste Discharge. Section 13383 authorizes the State Water Resources Control Board to issue NPDES permits enforcing federal Clean Water Act requirements. Statewide MS4 Phase I and Phase II General Permits regulate municipal separate storm sewer systems, requiring construction site BMPs, post-construction stormwater retention, and illicit discharge controls. Local agencies must adopt ordinances at least as stringent as their NPDES permits; they cannot weaken the standards. The Construction General Permit (Order 2022-0057-DWQ) covers projects disturbing one acre or more.
Water Code 13385 authorizes administrative civil liability up to $10,000 per day per violation plus $10 per gallon of unauthorized discharge. Willful violations are misdemeanors. EPA and Regional Water Board enforcement actions are common.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Bishop, CA
Bishop has no ordinance banning backyard composting. Home composting is allowed if kept clean and not a nuisance. California's SB 1383 law also requires resi...
Bishop, CA
Bishop has no ordinance banning or specially permitting artificial turf. Synthetic lawns are allowed and fit the City's water-efficient landscaping goals, th...
Bishop, CA
Bishop actively encourages water-efficient, low-water-use landscaping. Its Water-Efficient Landscapes ordinance (BMC Ch. 13.07) applies to new and rehabilita...
Bishop, CA
Bishop's Municipal Code sets no rainwater-harvesting restriction. Rain barrels and simple cisterns are legal in California, and the state encourages capturin...
Bishop, CA
Bishop draws on the Owens Valley Groundwater Basin and enforces a Water Shortage Contingency Plan. Wasting water is always prohibited (BMC 13.04.050). During...
Bishop, CA
Bishop Municipal Code Chapter 8.08 lets the City Council declare weeds, rubbish, refuse and dirt on any property a public nuisance and abate them. Owners are...
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