Fontana, CA Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Fontana Municipal Code Sec. 23-510
- Enforcing agency
- Public Works Director
- First NOV fine
- $100.00
- Repeat/hazard fine
- Up to $500.00 per day
- Misdemeanor penalty
- $1,000 fine, 6 months jail
- Admin order fee
- $1,000 per stop-work/compliance/cease-desist order
- Adopted
- Ord. No. 1980, Jan. 13, 2026
Summary
Fontana bans discharging anything but stormwater into its municipal storm drain system. Sec. 23-510 lists prohibited discharges, from wash water and pool backwash to pet waste and construction runoff, and requires anyone directed to fix a problem to implement best management practices. The public works director enforces the rule with notices of violation, escalating fines and criminal prosecution.
No person shall:(1)Cause, allow, contribute to or facilitate an illegal discharge into the MS4.(2)Establish, use or maintain any illicit connection, as more fully described in section 23-512....(4)Throw, deposit, abandon, maintain, or dispose of any refuse, rubbish, garbage, or other pollutants or wastes that may cause water quality concerns in or upon any street, alley, sidewalk, storm drain, catch basin, or other drainage structure, or upon any public or private piece of property, unless permitted by waste discharge requirements or waiver by the regional water quality control board, Santa Ana region.(5)Discharge or cause to be discharged into any fountain, lake, stream or any other body of water in the city any refuse, rubbish, garbage or other pollutant.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 64 | Zoning and Development Code: Supplement 17).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 23-510 makes it unlawful to cause, allow or facilitate an illegal discharge into the city's MS4 (the municipal separate storm sewer system), to establish an illicit connection, or to throw, deposit or dispose of refuse, rubbish, garbage or other pollutants onto any street, alley, sidewalk, storm drain or private property that can reach it. The section separately bans specific nonstormwater discharges into the MS4: sewage; wash water from gas stations and auto repair shops; runoff from equipment cleaning, mobile detailing, pressure washing and pool cleaning; chemical, fuel, grease or hazardous-material runoff; and pet waste, yard waste, litter or restaurant grease.
Sec. 23-511 conditionally exempts specific flows, including potable water line flushing, air conditioning condensate, de-chlorinated pool water (but not backwash), noncommercial residential car washing and emergency firefighting flows, unless the regional water board finds they violate water quality standards. The public works director can order compliance under Secs. 23-514 and 23-515, and Sec. 23-550 authorizes inspections of any premises subject to the article, including sampling and record review. Enforcement escalates through a notice of correction and then a notice of violation under Sec. 00 per violation per day.
00 issuance fee. The city attorney can also file a civil action for injunctive relief and recover attorney's fees under Sec. 23-557, and Sec. 00 and six months in jail, with each day of a continuing violation a separate offense.
Violations & Fines
A first notice of violation carries a $100.00 fine, a second within a year $200.00, and a third up to $500.00; discharges that threaten harm to people or the environment can draw $500.00 per violation per day. Stop-work, compliance and cease-and-desist orders each add a $1,000.00 issuance fee. Criminal prosecution under Sec. 23-558 is a misdemeanor punishable by up to $1,000.00 and six months in county jail, with every day of noncompliance a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I wash my car in my driveway in Fontana?
What is Fontana's storm drain called in the code?
What happens if I don't fix a stormwater violation in Fontana?
Does Fontana's stormwater ordinance apply to construction sites?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fontana
California rules heatmap·Compare Fontana to another location·View the California environmental rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Stormwater Management in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Bernardino County handle stormwater management.