Adoption of the Storm Water Standards manual in December 2002:

In cooperation with the Development Services Department, the Storm Water Pollution Prevention Program developed the City's Storm Water Standards Manual (PDF: 1.5Mb) in accordance with the Model Standard Urban Storm Water Mitigation Plan requirements approved by the Regional Water Quality Control Board. The Storm Water Standards Manual provides information to applicants for projects processed through the Development Services Department on how to comply with the permanent and construction storm water quality requirements for new development projects in the City of San Diego. It became effective on Dec. 2, 2002. All projects that have not received permits by Dec. 2, 2002 are subject to the provisions of the new standards.

The Storm Water Pollution Prevention Program has a number of objectives to help improve water quality in San Diego. These objectives include:

• Actively enforce the City of San Diego Municipal Code §43.03, Stormwater Management and Discharge Control (PDF, requires Adobe Acrobat Reader).

• Implement an Urban Runoff Management Plan to protect and improve water quality of the ocean, rivers, creeks and bays in the region, and achieve Municipal Storm Water Permit compliance.

• Change the City's institutional behaviors and policies to proactively protect our recreational waters.

• Change the behaviors of residents, business and industry to reduce and prevent pollutants from reaching our recreational waters via the City's storm water conveyance system.

• Identify chronically contaminated areas and the pollutant, and devise cost effective strategies to eliminate the source.

• Work with City departments and agencies to reduce and eliminate contamination and polluting resulting from City activities.