General Plan Update - City of Inglewood

Chapter 5 Environmental Resources
To meet this goal, the permittee must implement a Stormwater Management Program
that addresses six minimum control measures, including (1) public education and
outreach; (2) public participation/involvement; (3) illicit discharge detection and
elimination; (4) construction site stormwater runoff control for sites greater than one
acre; (5) post-construction stormwater management in new development and
redevelopment; and (6) pollution prevention/good housekeeping for municipal
operations. These control measures will typically be addressed by developing BMPs.
The LARWQCB completed a revision of the NPDES permit for the Los Angeles region
in 1996 and 2001. The revised permit is more comprehensive and specific than the
previous permit and requires the City to conduct additional employee education and
institute a construction site inspection program to help mitigate construction-related
stormwater impacts.
Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act
The state of California Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act authorizes the SWRCB to
adopt, review, and revise policies for all waters of the state (including both surface and
groundwaters) and directs the RWQCB to develop regional Basin Plans. Section 13170 of
the California Water Code also authorizes the SWRCB to adopt water quality control
plans on its own initiative.
The Los Angeles Basin Plan specifically (1) designates beneficial uses for surface and
ground waters, (2) sets narrative and numerical objectives that must be attained or
maintained to protect the designated beneficial uses and conform to the state’s antidegradation
policy, and (3) describes implementation programs to protect all waters in the
region. In cases where the Basin Plan does not contain a standard for a particular
pollutant, other criteria are used to establish a standard. Other criteria may be applied
from SWRCB documents (e.g., the Inland Surface Waters Plan and the Pollutant Policy
Document) or from water quality criteria developed under Section 304(a) of the CWA.
Reclaimed Water Regulations
Within the state of California, reclaimed water is regulated by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), the SWRCB, RWQCBs, and the state Department of Health
Services. The SWRCB has adopted Resolution No. 77-1, Policy with Respect to Water
Reclamation in California. This policy states that the SWRCB and RWQCBs will
encourage and consider or recommend for funding water reclamation projects that do
not impair water rights or beneficial in-stream uses.
The RWQCBs implement the SWRCB’s Guidelines for Regulation of Water Reclamation
and issue waste discharge permits that serve to regulate the quality of reclaimed water
based on stringent water quality requirements. The state Department of Health Services
develops policies protecting human health and comments and advises on RWQCB
permits (RCIP Existing Setting Report and Resolution No. 77-1, Policy with Respect to
Water Reclamation in California).
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City of Inglewood General Plan Update Technical Background Report