Menifee, CA Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- MMC Chapter 15.01, Storm Water/Urban Runoff
- Adopted by
- Ordinance 2009-32, amended Ordinance 2012-102
- Civil penalty
- Up to $2,500 per day of violation
- Criminal penalty
- Misdemeanor under MMC § 1.01.220
- Inspection authority
- City inspectors may enter premises without notice
Summary
Menifee bans any non-stormwater discharge into the city's storm drain system unless it falls on Chapter 15.01's short list of exempt flows, like residential car washing or dechlorinated pool water. Illicit connections and discharges are prohibited outright, inspectors can enter regulated premises without notice, and violators face civil penalties up to $2,500 per day plus misdemeanor prosecution.
Any discharge that would result in or contribute to a violation of an existing or future Municipal NPDES Permit(s) or any amendment or revision thereto or reissuance thereof, either separately considered or when combined with other discharges, is a violation of this chapter and is prohibited. Liability for any such discharge shall be the responsibility of the person(s) causing or responsible for the discharge, and such persons shall defend, indemnify and hold harmless the city in any administrative or judicial enforcement action relating to such discharge.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-15: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ordinance 2026-432, passed 4-15-2026).
Full Breakdown
01, adopted by Ordinance 2009-32 and amended by Ordinance 2012-102, implements the city's municipal NPDES ("MS4") stormwater permit. 020 makes any non-stormwater discharge into the storm drain system a violation unless it is covered by its own NPDES permit or falls within specific listed exceptions: air conditioning condensate, agricultural irrigation water, residential car washing that excludes engine degreasing, dechlorinated swimming pool discharges, passive foundation and footing drains, diverted stream flows, and emergency firefighting flows. 030 separately bans illicit connections to the storm drain system and illicit discharges, applying retroactively to connections made before the prohibition existed.
040 prohibits any discharge that would violate the city's Municipal NPDES Permit and requires industrial dischargers, construction-activity dischargers and other permittees to prove compliance with the Industrial Stormwater General Permit, Construction Activity Stormwater General Permit or Dewatering General Permit before the city will issue a grading, building or occupancy permit. 050 to inspect for compliance and gather evidence. 012.
Violations & Fines
An enforcement official can issue a cease-and-desist order, a stop-work order, or suspend a permit or license under § 15.01.060(B). Civil violations carry a penalty of up to $2,500 per day under § 15.01.060(C), plus the city's investigation, abatement and legal costs. Section 15.01.060(D) makes any violation a misdemeanor punishable under MMC § 1.01.220, with restitution ordered to the city or injured parties.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I wash my car in my Menifee driveway and let the water run into the street?
What counts as an illegal discharge into Menifee's storm drains?
How much can the city fine me for a stormwater violation in Menifee?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Menifee
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How other cities in Riverside County handle stormwater management.