The Clean Water Program consists of the County, Contra Costa cities, and the FC District working together to prevent, reduce, or eliminate the discharge of pollutants into the storm drain system, including creeks and other natural waterways. The Clean Water Program was established in response to changes in the Federal Clean Water Act. The Program known at the federal level as the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Program for Municipal Stormwater Owners is in its fifteenth year. In order to be in compliance with the current NPDES permit, Clean Water Program participants implement a Stormwater Management Plan stipulating a set of activities and a performance or service level. The Stormwater Management Plan is a major component of the Joint Municipal NPDES Stormwater Permit with the California Regional Water Quality Control Boards and is paid for with stormwater utility fee assessments. Adoption of the attached resolution will begin the annual process of assessment adoption.
The Board of Supervisors is being asked to set a rate of $30 for one ERU in the Unincorporated County areas and to request that the FC District adopt the stormwater utility assessment. (The FC District is the only entity under state law with legal authority to assess this particular assessment.)
The Public Works Department coordinates the County Watershed Program for the County. Examples of how the assessment is being spent in the current year include:
1. General drainage maintenance to remove debris and sediment from County storm drain systems, flood control channels, and creeks.
2. Targeted street sweeping throughout the County.
3. Work with County Building Inspection and Public Works inspectors and construction companies/contractors to reduce construction contaminants, such as paint, cement, oil/fuels, and soil erosion from entering storm drains and creeks.
4. Encourage Planners and the development community to use new designs that will reduce contaminated stormwater runoff.
5. Educate the public on the benefits of reducing pesticides and other toxic household product use and their proper disposal.
6. Educate County Engineers and Maintenance staff on flood control design, construction, and maintenance practices that protect water quality and preserve natural watershed habitats.
7. Inspection of industrial and commercial businesses for evidence that spill prevention, equipment maintenance and cleaning, waste handling and disposal, and other business practices are done in a manner that minimizes stormwater contamination.
8. Educate marina operators and their marina users through a marina program.
9. Create an annual Watershed Calendar that is disseminated to all single-family households in the County to educate residents of pollution prevention measures that they can take to protect stormwater runoff and improve the water quality of our receiving waters.
If the rate per ERU is not set for the coming fiscal year, funds will not be available for the County’s Watershed Program to comply with the Joint Municipal NPDES Stormwater Permit. The Regional Water Quality Control Boards have the authority to issue fines of up to $10,000 per day against those municipalities that do not comply with the Permit and fail to implement their Stormwater Management Plans.