Palm Springs, CA Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)

Palm Springs is a co-permittee on the Whitewater River Region MS4 stormwater permit along with Coachella Valley cities and Riverside County. The city prohibits illicit discharges to the storm drain system, which in Palm Springs consists largely of open desert washes and engineered channels that convey runoff toward the Whitewater River and eventually the Salton Sea. Property owners must not hose paint, concrete slurry, pool water with chlorine, automotive fluids, or pesticides into streets or washes. Construction projects disturbing one acre or more must file a Notice of Intent under California's Construction General Permit, develop a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP), and install Best Management Practices such as silt fences, fiber rolls, stabilized entrances, and concrete washout containment. Smaller projects still need erosion and sediment controls sufficient to keep soil onsite. Restaurants and auto shops have specific BMPs for grease and fluid management. The city's Engineering Division inspects sites and can issue stop-work orders or civil penalties for violations. Pool draining requires dechlorination and typically discharge to the sanitary sewer rather than the street.