ILLICIT DISCHARGES AND ILLEGAL CONNECTIONS
Illicit Discharge
What is an illicit discharge or illegal connection and why are they a problem?
The City has an ordinance that prohibits illicit discharges and illegal connections (Chapter 13.34).
- An illicit discharge is the direct or indirect discharge of anything into the City’s storm drain system that is not “clean” stormwater (aka “rain water”).
- An illegal connection is any drain or conveyance that is connected from a residential, commercial, or industrial area to the City’s storm drain system without prior written approval from the City.
These types of discharges or connections to the storm drain are a problem because they can be a source of pollutants to our local creeks and rivers since they may contain bacteria and viruses, metals, pesticides, sediment, nutrients, or trash.
Illegal Connection (image source)
Are there any types of discharges that are allowed?
There are a few types of discharges that can flow to the storm drain system as long as some preventative steps are taken before the discharge occurs. If there are any questions, contact the City before discharging to the storm drain system.
- Step 1: Look at the area where the water will flow to from the discharge point to the nearest storm drain and sweep/remove any materials (e.g. sediment, leaves, trash) so that they are not transported into the storm drain.
- Step 2: Follow any specific instructions listed below based on the type of discharge.
| Type of Discharge | Specific Instructions that Must be Followed |
|---|---|
| Water line flushing | None |
| Diverted stream flows | |
| Rising ground waters | |
| Uncontaminated ground water infiltration | |
| Uncontaminated pumped ground water | |
| Discharges from potable water sources | |
| Foundation drains | |
| Air conditioning condensation | |
| Springs | |
| Water from crawl space pumps | |
| Footing drains | |
| Flows from riparian habitats and wetlands |
Riparian area
| Type of Discharge | Specific Instructions that Must be Followed |
|---|---|
| Individual residential car washing | Follow these Car Washing Practices |
| Dechlorinated swimming pool discharges | Follow these Pool and Spa Practices |
| Incidental runoff from landscaped areas[1] | If significant runoff is occurring:
-Find the leaks and correct them promptly If there is a pond onsite that contains recycled water, contact the City prior to discharging for instructions. |
[1] Unintended amounts of runoff, such as minimal over-spray from sprinklers that escapes the area of intended use.
HOW TO REPORT AN ILLICIT DISCHARGE OR ILLEGAL CONNECTION
Illicit discharges and illegal connections can be reported to the City by calling (916) 434-2450 or by filling out the form below.
Note: If a contact is not provided and there are follow-up questions related to the incident, the City may be limited in how the issue can be resolved.