§ 6-3-400. Purpose.

The city council determines that the purpose of this article is as follows:

(1)

The United States Congress passed the Clean Water Act [33 USC §1251 et seq., as amended, including § 402(p) therein] as a mandate, in part, that municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s), such as in Orange County, obtain permits to "effectively prohibit non-stormwater discharges into the storm sewers" and "require controls to reduce the discharge of pollutants to the maximum extent practicable..." This permitting authority has been delegated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to the State of California, which has authorized the State Water Resources Control Board and its local regulatory agencies, the Regional Water Quality Control Boards, to control non-point source discharges to California's waterways.

(2)

The San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board has addressed the obligation to implement the Clean Water Act by issuing Waste Discharge Requirements governing runoff for the County of Orange, Orange County Flood Control District and the Incorporated Cities of South Orange County. These requirements shall be referred to collectively herein as the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit.

(3)

The City of Laguna Niguel is a co-permittee under the NPDES permit.

(4)

Runoff, which includes both stormwater and non-stormwater, is one step in the cycle of water. However, human activities, such as agriculture, construction and the operation and maintenance of an urban infrastructure may result in undesirable discharges of pollutants and certain sediments, which may accumulate in local drainage channels and waterways and eventually may be deposited in the waters of the United States.

(5)

The purpose of this article is to participate in the improvement of water quality and comply with federal requirements for the control of urban pollutants to runoff, which enters the network of storm drains throughout Orange County.

(Ord. No. 2010-161, § 2, 11-16-10)