Environmental Services

As the Environmental Services Division, we are responsible for ensuring City compliance with environmental regulations as it relates to stormwater, air quality, hazardous materials, and underground storage tanks. The two branches within the division are Regulatory Compliance and Stormwater Management: 

Regulatory Compliance staff ensures City compliance with environmental regulations for the California Environmental Protection Agency, California Air Resources Board, South Coast Air Quality Management District, and Riverside County Department of Environmental Health. Staff accomplishes this by maintaining permits for various assets owned by the city, completing compliance reports, scheduling, and performing inspection activities, and ensuring staff receives proper training.

Stormwater Management staff administers stormwater activities to ensure City compliance with the NPDES Permit [National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System]. Permit requirements are achieved through collaboration with various City departments and regional/local agencies. Additionally, staff conducts inspections of businesses, construction sites, municipal facilities, and responds to illicit discharges to prevent pollutants from entering the City’s storm drain system.

What is Stormwater?

Stormwater is any precipitation (including rain, hail, and snow) that does not evaporate or percolate into the ground, but instead runs off and collects into the storm drain system. Unlike the sewer system, which carries water from your indoor drains to our wastewater treatment plants, the storm drain system in Corona releases untreated water into flood control channels, creeks, the Santa Ana River, Prado Basin and ultimately the ocean. 

Urban runoff contributes to the pollution found at local waterways. In Riverside County, Prado Basin, the Santa Ana River, Lake Elsinore, Canyon Lake, and Temescal Creek are just some examples of affected waterways. Visit the SARWQCB website.

The City of Corona is listed as a co-permittee and the Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District (RCFC&WCD) is listed as the Principal Permittee for the Santa Ana Region (SAR) NPDES, and is bound to comply with all the aspects of the permit requirements. The City has adopted an ordinance that addresses non-storm water discharges that are not allowed into the City's storm water system. The State permit regulations and the City ordinance affect residential, industrial, commercial and construction sites and/or projects.

This web site was developed as a reference for those who have questions concerning our responsibility to keep the storm drains clean. The Storm Water Pollution Prevention Program (SWPPP) is comprised of three sections: Residential, Industrial/Commercial and New Development/Construction. Under each section basic information from everyday household activities to business owner activities and building contractor responsibilities is provided.

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Learn more!

More Useful Links

If you need additional information about National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) regulations, Best Management Practices or how you can help please see the following web links:

• Riverside County Flood Control District, Stormwater Section
• Riverside County Department of Waste Resources, Household Hazardous Waste Section:
  General Information and Calendar
• Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board:
  Regulations, Permits, General Information
• California Stormwater Quality Association (CASQA): Handbooks
• United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA):
  Overview of NPDES program, menu of BMPs, educational materials

For more information regarding Air Quality or Hazardous Materials, see thefollowing links:

Air Quality:

• South Coast Air Quality Management District: Rebates and Incentives forResidents (Clean Air Choices)
• South Coast Air Quality Management District: Report an Air Quality Complaint (Air Quality Complaint System)

‍Hazardous Materials:

• Department of Toxic Substance Control: Event Calendar
• Department of Toxic Substance Control: Household Hazardous Waste Facilities (Household Hazardous Waste Facilities)