Kern County, CA Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)
Key Facts
- Enforcing officer
- Chief engineer (Engineering & Survey Services)
- Core ban
- No sanitary waste, litter, chemicals into drains
- Pool draining
- Banned into stormwater system
- Discharge permit
- Prior written permission required
- Remediation cost
- Violator pays, county can bill if unpaid
- Governing law
- Kern County Code Ch. 14.26 (Ord. G-6063, 1994)
Summary
Unincorporated Kern County bans dumping anything but rain into the county's storm drains. Kern County Code § 14.26.250 makes it unlawful to introduce sanitary wastewater, litter, garbage, petroleum products, pesticides or hazardous materials into any stormwater system, and § 14.26.260 separately bans draining swimming pools or spas into it. The chief engineer, the director of the engineering and survey services department, enforces both.
It is unlawful for any person to throw, dump, empty or in any way cause sanitary wastewater, rubbish, refuse, litter, accidental spill discharges, garbage of any kind whatsoever, or any unsanitary or deleterious matter including, but not limited to, petroleum products, pesticides, herbicides, controlled substances, hazardous materials, or any substance other than stormwater to be introduced into any stormwater system or conveyance that discharges into a stormwater system.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 59 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
26, the Kern County Stormwater Ordinance (Ord. G-6063, 1994), regulates every discharge into storm drains the county maintains. 250 prohibits throwing, dumping or emptying "sanitary wastewater, rubbish, refuse, litter, accidental spill discharges, garbage of any kind whatsoever, or any unsanitary or deleterious matter including, but not limited to, petroleum products, pesticides, herbicides, controlled substances, hazardous materials, or any substance other than stormwater" into a storm drain or any conveyance leading to one. 260 separately bans draining swimming pool or spa water into the system. 350.
220, county inspectors carry identification and may enter any facility connected to the storm drain system at reasonable times, including emergencies, and refusing or delaying that access is itself a chapter violation. 280-330. 210 let the chief engineer extend that deadline in writing.
Violations & Fines
Section 14.26.370 requires the violator, at no cost to the county, to remove illicit connections, remove all traces of the illicit discharge, and repair any damaged stormwater facility. If the violator fails to complete that remediation by the deadline in the § 14.26.380 notice, § 14.26.390 lets the county perform the remedial work itself and bill the violator for the full cost. Damaging or tampering with any storm drain structure or appurtenance is a separate violation under § 14.26.230.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I drain my pool into the street gutter in unincorporated Kern County?
Who enforces Kern County's stormwater ordinance?
What happens if I don't fix an illicit discharge after being notified?
Do industrial sites need a separate permit to discharge stormwater in Kern County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kern County
California rules heatmap·Compare Kern County to another location·View the California environmental rules overview
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