Ceres, CA Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- Municipal Code ch. 13.20
- Spill reporting window
- 24 hours of release
- Emergency abatement deadline
- 72 hours (30 days uncontrolled)
- Enforced by
- Director of Public Works / enforcement official
Summary
Ceres bans any non-storm water discharge into the City's storm drain system, with narrow exemptions, to keep pollutants out of local waterways under its NPDES permit.
Except as provided in section 13.20.060, it is unlawful for any person to make or cause to be made any non-storm water discharge... Any person owning or occupying a premises, who has knowledge of any release of pollutants or non-storm water discharge... shall immediately take all reasonable action to contain and abate... and shall notify the enforcement official at City of Ceres within 24 hours of the release.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 4).
Full Breakdown
Ceres Municipal Code chapter 13.20, the Storm Water Management and Discharge Control Ordinance, makes it unlawful to discharge anything but storm water into the City's storm water conveyance system. Exemptions cover things like landscape irrigation runoff, foundation drains, and dechlorinated pool water, but the Regional Water Quality Control Board or the City's enforcement official can revoke an exemption if a discharge conveys significant pollutants or endangers public health. Construction sites must follow the state's Construction General Permit and City BMP standards, and spills into the storm drain system must be reported to the enforcement official within 24 hours.
Violations & Fines
Illicit discharges and illicit connections to the storm drain system are prohibited; spills or dumping must be contained and abated within 72 hours of notification (30 days for uncontrolled pollutant sources). Violations are a public nuisance and can draw administrative citations and fines under title 19, plus abatement cost recovery and liens under Gov. Code § 25845.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I hose runoff into a Ceres storm drain?
What if I spill something that could reach a storm drain in Ceres?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ceres
California rules heatmap·Compare Ceres to another location·View the California environmental rules overview
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