Paramount, CA Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)

The core rule is § 8.20.060: no person shall cause any discharge to enter the storm drain system unless it consists entirely of stormwater, is non-stormwater authorized by a NPDES permit, is associated with emergency fire fighting activities, or otherwise complies with Chapter 8.20, the Urban Stormwater Management Ordinance of the City of Paramount. Related bans follow. Illicit connections are prohibited unless the Director permitted the connection under Chapter 12.24 (§ 8.20.070). Litter, discarded objects, pesticides prohibited by the U.S. EPA or the California Department of Pesticide Regulation, landscape debris, and sanitary or septic waste cannot be placed where they reach streets, gutters, inlets or the storm drain system (§ 8.20.080). Section 8.20.100 lists prohibited commercial discharges, including gas station and auto repair wash waters, concrete truck washout, commercial or public swimming pool filter backwash, and restaurant mat or garbage bin rinsing, unless the discharge complies with a NPDES permit.

Facilities required to hold a NPDES permit must keep the permit, waste discharge identification number, SWPPP and monitoring plan, stormwater quality data and self-inspection evidence on site and make them immediately available to the Director on request (§ 8.20.110). When an uncontrolled discharge is discovered, the discharger or permittee must telephone the Director immediately and file a detailed written report within 10 calendar days (§ 8.20.150). Owners and occupants also follow the housekeeping rules in § 8.20.160, including sweeping motor vehicle parking lots at least weekly and sweeping restaurant and swap meet lots on each day those businesses are open to the public.

Restaurants, automobile repair facilities, regional gasoline outlets and auto dealerships, municipal landfills and other listed facilities are designated for stormwater inspections (§ 8.20.130), with fees in § 8.20.140 such as $164.00 for a Class A inspection and $238.00 for stormwater sampling. Development meeting the thresholds in § 8.20.210, such as one acre or greater of disturbed area that adds more than 10,000 square feet of impervious surface, must prepare a Low Impact Development plan. The Director enforces the chapter (§ 8.20.220) and can inspect with owner permission or an administrative inspection warrant (§ 8.20.250).