Redwood City, CA Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- Municipal Code Chapter 27A, adopted 1995
- Core rule
- Non-stormwater discharge to storm drains banned
- Enforcing officer
- Director of Community Development / City Manager designee
- Criminal penalty
- Misdemeanor, chargeable as infraction instead
- Appeal window
- 10 days to coordinator, 15 more to Director
- Spill hotline
- (415) 780-7464 per Sec. 27A.23
Summary
Redwood City bans discharging anything but stormwater into its municipal storm drains under Municipal Code Chapter 27A. The Director of Community Development and City Manager's designees enforce the rule, and violators face misdemeanor charges, civil penalties, and cleanup costs. A short list of exempted flows, including dechlorinated pool water and lawn irrigation runoff, keeps ordinary yard maintenance legal.
A.Discharge of Pollutants: The discharge of non-stormwater discharges to the City stormwater drainage system is prohibited. All discharges of material other than stormwater must be in compliance with a national pollutant discharge elimination system permit issued for the discharge (other than NPDES Permit No. CA0029921) and this Chapter.B.Exceptions to Discharge Prohibition: The following discharges are exempt from the prohibition set forth in this Chapter:...2.Discharges from the following activities will not be considered a source of pollutants to water of the United States when properly managed: water line flushing..., municipal street cleaning, municipal park maintenance, landscape irrigation and lawn watering,..., individual residential car washings,..., dechlorinated swimming pool discharges, or flows from fire fighting and other emergency response activity, and accordingly are not subject to the prohibition on discharges.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Zoning Code: Supplement 29 | City Code: Supplement 61 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 27A of the Redwood City Municipal Code, adopted by Ordinance No. 2090 in 1995, governs what can enter the city's storm drains. 5(A) bans any non-stormwater discharge to the City stormwater drainage system unless it is covered by an NPDES permit, apart from the City's own NPDES Permit No. CA0029921. 5(B) exempts specific low-risk flows when properly managed: water line flushing, municipal street cleaning, landscape irrigation and lawn watering, individual residential car washing, dechlorinated swimming pool discharges, and firefighting runoff, among others. 6 separately bans illicit drainage connections and makes that ban retroactive to connections made before the ordinance existed, regardless of whether they were once permitted or lawful when made.
26. 8 from letting tool, equipment, or truck wash water reach a catch basin. 27, and fifteen more days to appeal that decision in writing to the Director or designee. 23.
Violations & Fines
Violating Chapter 27A is a misdemeanor under Section 27A.25, though the enforcing authority can instead charge it as an infraction or abate it as a public nuisance. Each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense, and concealing a violation is itself a violation. Section 27A.26 lets the City pursue civil injunctions, recovery of inspection and cleanup costs, compensatory damages for water-quality harm, and cease-and-desist orders, and authorized officials may cite or arrest violators under Penal Code misdemeanor-citation procedures.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I wash my car in the driveway in Redwood City?
Who enforces Redwood City's stormwater rules?
What happens if I violate the stormwater ordinance?
Can I appeal a stormwater enforcement decision?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Redwood City
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