NPDES

National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Commitment

It is the mission of the City of Chino Hills, in partnership with the community, to continue to develop and maintain the aesthetic beauty of the City while fostering a safe and family-oriented environment. The City is committed to the protection of its water, environmental resources, wild life, aquatic habitats, and is dedicated to reducing the impact of pollutants from urban runoff, through the implementation of its Storm Water Program to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of its citizens.

About NPDES

In 1972, the United States (U.S.) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued the NPDES Program in Section 402 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) to address water pollution by regulating point source pollutants that discharge into the receiving waters of the United States. Water runoff from cities, streets, highways, industrial facilities, commercial facilities and construction sites carries pollutants that impair water quality and the recreational use of water. The U.S. EPA and the State Water Boards control runoff and the treatment of storm water through the Construction, Industrial, and Municipal regulatory permit programs.

The City’s Environmental Program Coordinator (EPC) is responsible for the planning, monitoring, and reporting activities required to ensure compliance with the NPDES Program regulations. The EPC serves as the primary contact for the NPDES Program for regulatory agencies, consultants, and the public. In accordance with the CWA, Santa Ana River Basin Plan, State Water Resources Control Board, Regional Water Quality Control Board (Santa Ana Region) NPDES Permit (PDF), Waste Discharge Requirements, and other state and federal laws, the EPC oversees the following activities the City is required to perform to comply with the NPDES water quality objectives of the receiving waters of the U.S.

• Public Education/Outreach
• Reduce pollutants and manage non-storm water discharges
• Create, modify, adopt and enforce ordinances
• Storm Water Program
  • Perform compliance inspections of businesses, construction sites, and other facilities
• Fats, Oil and Grease (FOG) Program
  • Perform compliance monitoring and inspections of food service establishments and other commercial facilities
• Maintenance of the Municipal Storm Drain System
  • Perform inspections
  • Removal of trash and debris from inlets/catch basins, and channels
• Street Sweeping
• Sanitary Sewer Overflow (SSO) Program
• And more

Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs)

Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) - is a regulatory term used in the CWA, which describes the specific amount of a pollutant such as trash, bacteria, pesticides, etc. that is allowed in a specific body of water such as lakes, rivers, streams, creeks or the ocean. When a water body is declared impaired, the State Water Resources Control Board determines the TMDL of the specific pollutant that the impaired water body can receive while still meeting water quality standards.

The City is required to comply with state and federal TMDLs to protect regional water bodies. The City has developed a monitoring and implementation plan to ensure compliance with the TMDLs concerning the following impaired water bodies within its jurisdiction:

• Chino Creek
• Prado Park Lake
• Mill Creek (Prado Area)
• Santa Ana River

To report a stormwater pollution violation, use Request Tracker or call 909-364-2800.