Preventing Stormwater Pollution
Stormwater pours more contaminants into California's coastal waters than any other source of pollution. Rainfall, sprinkler systems, and other sources of water flow over streets, buildings, yards, golf courses, parking lots, and other structures, picking up pollutants and dumping them directly into our storm drains, which then transport the wastes untreated to our lakes, rivers, streams and ocean. Stormwater carries trash, oil, pesticides, dirt and other pollutants to the water bodies we use for fishing, swimming, and drinking.
The federal Clean Water Act and state law requires California to control pollutants in stormwater. However, it is not implemented fully or consistently through the state. As a recent Blue Ribbon Panel of scientists and engineers found, the current regulatory system is failing to protect our water quality. Click here to download the Blue Ribbon Panel's report (pdf 148 kb).
CCKA is working to prevent and reduce stormwater pollution by advocating before the State Water Resources Control Board for stormwater permits that include actual, enforceable limits on pollution, to that the state meets water quality standards in a way that is accountable to the public.
CCKA is Taking Action - Sanitary Sewer Overflows
Raw sewage spills (or "sanitary sewer overflows") are one form of pollution that threatens clean water and pose serious threats to public health and water quality. These spills are frequent, and are occasionally quite large - for example in early 2006, Los Angeles County Sanitation District spilled approximately 2 million gallons of sewage onto a popular Southern California beach and into local homes. Numerous smaller spills occur regularly around the state, posing a constant threat to the waterways and people who come in contact with the sewage.
CCKA has worked tireless for over two years to develop statewide controls on sewage spills. Thanks to our efforts, the State Water Board recently adopted stricter requirements to prevent and respond to sewage spills which will significantly reduce the likelihood of ongoing sewage contamination of California’s waters. The final regulations and other information on this sewage spill prevention program can be found at: www.waterboards.ca.gov/sso/index.html.
CCKA continue its efforts to ensure that the state implements the agreed-upon statewide, online database of sewage spills. We also will ensure that the public has ready access online to clear data reports and summaries, so that the entities responsible are held accountable to the public.
