Palm Desert, CA Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)
Key Facts
- Core rule
- Nonstormwater discharge to the storm drain system is a violation
- Administered by
- Director of public works
- Municipal NPDES permit
- No. CAS617002, incorporated by reference
- First and second violations
- Infraction, up to one hundred and two hundred dollars
- Third violation
- Misdemeanor, up to one thousand dollars or six months
- Spill notice
- Immediate notice to the city, confirmed to the director
Summary
In the City of Palm Desert, California, § 24.20.050 makes any nonstormwater discharge to the storm drain system a violation, with exceptions for NPDES-permitted discharges and listed activities such as irrigation, water line flushing and individual residential car washing when properly managed. The director of public works administers Chapter 24.20.
A nonstormwater discharge to the storm drain system is a violation of this chapter except as specified below. A. The prohibition of discharges shall not apply to any discharge regulated under a NPDES permit or waiver issued to the discharger and administered by the state of California under the authority of the EPA; provided, that the discharger is in full compliance with all requirements of the permit or waiver and other applicable laws or regulations. B. Discharges from the following activities will not be considered a source of pollutants to waters of the United States when properly managed: water line flushing and other discharges from potable water sources, landscape irrigation and lawn watering, irrigation water, diverted stream flows, rising ground waters, infiltration to separate storm drains, uncontaminated pumped ground water, foundation and footing drains, water from crawl space pumps, air conditioning condensation, springs, individual residential car washing, flows from riparian habitats and wetlands, dechlorinated swimming pool discharges or flows from fire fighting.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 24.20 is the City of Palm Desert Stormwater Management and Discharge Control Ordinance. Its purposes are to regulate nonstormwater discharges to the municipal separate storm drain, control spills, dumping or disposal of materials other than stormwater, and reduce pollutants in stormwater discharges to the maximum extent practicable. The director of public works administers it (§ 24.20.030), and the chapter is to be read consistently with the federal Clean Water Act and any municipal NPDES permit (§ 24.20.040).
The core rule in § 24.20.050 is that a nonstormwater discharge to the storm drain system is a violation. Discharges regulated under an NPDES permit or waiver are outside the prohibition if the discharger is in full compliance. Listed discharges are not treated as pollutant sources when properly managed, including landscape irrigation and lawn watering, individual residential car washing, air conditioning condensation and dechlorinated swimming pool discharges.
Other sections tighten the rule. Illicit connections are prohibited, and the ban is expressly retroactive to connections made under earlier law (§ 24.20.070). Throwing or leaving refuse, rubbish, garbage or abandoned vehicles in a street, alley, sidewalk, storm drain inlet or catch basin is a violation, as is letting a dumpster or solid waste bin leak a pollutant (§ 24.20.080). Commercial and industrial outdoor storage must not leak grease, oil or hazardous substances, and the city can require a spill containment system (§ 24.20.090). Construction work must also meet § 27.12.065 on erosion control (§ 24.20.100). For new development and redevelopment, the city can require control of runoff volume and rate, and acceptable methods include permeable areas, directing runoff to swales and French drains, and storage for reuse (§ 24.20.110). A facility's responsible persons must notify the city immediately of any suspected release and confirm it by correspondence to the director of public works (§ 24.20.160).
Violations & Fines
Each day is a separate offense (§ 24.20.190). A first violation is an infraction with a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars, a second is an infraction not exceeding two hundred dollars, and a third or later is a misdemeanor with a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars or six months in jail, or both. A first offense can be charged as a misdemeanor. Officers can issue cease and desist orders, notices to clean, and citations, and abatement costs become a lien.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I wash my car at home in the City of Palm Desert?
What are the penalties for violating the stormwater chapter?
Who inspects for stormwater violations?
Does the stormwater chapter reach old drain connections?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Palm Desert
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