Anything, liquid or solid, in Norco that reaches a street, will reach the Santa Ana River, a source of drinking water for Norconians, and millions of other Californians.

Norco prides itself on being a beautiful City, with a rural environment, and hundreds of miles of trails running through hills, riverbeds, and neighborhoods. Protecting the health of our water and groundwater, ensures that all Norconians have a city surrounded by natural settings we can be proud of. 

Public education is a critical component of both Norco’s and Riverside County’s Storm Drain Pollution Prevention Program, since pollution prevention is much easier and less costly (for taxpayers) than cleaning up after the fact. Many Riverside County residents are unaware of the storm water pollution (polluted runoff) problem, and the threat it poses to local rivers, lakes, and streams. In fact, many people don't realize that storm drains connect to local waterways so whatever ends up in the storm drains flows directly - without treatment - to our rivers, lakes, and streams. 

Another misconception is that storm drain pollution happens only when it rains. Actually, throughout the dry part of the year, pollutants such as motor oil, antifreeze, trash and grease accumulate on streets and parking lots. When rain finally does fall, the rain water carries these pollutants into the storm drain. Even common activities such as over watering lawns and landscaped areas, car washing and hosing down driveways or pet waste droppings cause pollutants to make their way into the storm drain.

To address this issue and comply with federal and state clean water legislation, the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board (SARWQCB) issues regulations specifying what can be discharged into storm drains.

The City of Norco is listed as a co-permittee for the Riverside County NPDES Permit issued by the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board, and is bound to comply with all the aspects of the permit requirements. The City has adopted ordinances that addresses non-storm water discharges that are not allowed into the City's storm water system in Section 15.70 of Norco’s Municipal Code. The State permit regulations and the City ordinance affect residential, industrial, commercial, and construction sites and/or projects.

Water pollution degrades surface waters making them unsafe for drinking, fishing, swimming, and other activities. As authorized by the Clean Water Act, the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program controls water pollution by regulating point sources that discharge pollutants into waters of the United States. Point sources are discrete conveyances such as pipes or man-made ditches. Individual homes that are connected to a municipal system, use a septic system, or do not have a surface discharge do not need an NPDES permit; however, industrial, municipal, and other facilities must obtain permits if their discharges go directly to surface waters. In most cases, the NPDES permit program is administered by authorized states. Since its introduction in 1972, the NPDES permit program is responsible for significant improvements to our Nation's water quality.

The Storm Drain Pollution Protection Program encourages everyone to find out what YOU can do to help keep our precious waterways clean and to protect our natural resources. Supplemental materials and brochures explaining many of the practices and methods of pollution prevention can be found in Norco City Hall or online at rcflood.org/Stormwater.