Storm Drain Protection Checklist

Storm drains convey to creeks, rivers, and the Bay without treatment. Anything that enters one arrives at surface water essentially as it left the property, which is the entire basis for the regulatory attention this area receives — and the reason a property owner has a direct interest in what its vendors do on site.

That interest is practical rather than abstract. Where a discharge occurs, the property is generally the party a municipality identifies, because the discharge came from the property. A contractor's assurance is not a control; verified containment is.

How to Use This Checklist

1. Complete the inlet mapping section once, then keep it. It is the single most useful document for scoping any future cleaning work.
2. Walk the property with the map and confirm it against what is actually on the ground, including inlets that have been paved over or obscured.
3. Complete the risk section annually, and after any change in tenancy or site use.
4. Complete the contractor verification section during each cleaning event, not afterward.
5. Photograph containment in place during work. This is the documentation that matters if a question arises later.

Inspection Checklist

Confirming Local Requirements

Requirements differ meaningfully across Northern California municipalities and change over time, which is why this checklist deliberately does not state what they are. The reliable approach is to confirm current expectations directly with your local municipal stormwater program or public works department, and to record the date you confirmed them.

In broad terms, local programs commonly address the prohibition of non-stormwater discharge to the storm drain system, expected best management practices during activities that generate wash water, the conditions under which discharge to sanitary sewer may be permitted, handling requirements for higher-risk activities such as fuel island and food-service area cleaning, and spill response and reporting obligations. Knowing that this is the general shape of the requirements makes it much easier to ask the right questions of a jurisdiction.

What Verified Containment Looks Like

The distinction between a contractor who describes containment and one who performs it is visible on site, and it takes a minute to check.

• Protection is deployed before water is applied. Inlet protection put in place after runoff has started is not containment.
• Recovery equipment is operating, not parked. A vacuum unit on the truck is not a control.
• Dry cleanup happened first. Debris swept and collected before water reduces both volume and contamination substantially.
• The disposal path is specific. A contractor should be able to say where the recovered water is going, not describe the concept of disposal.
• The work area is bounded. Containment that does not account for slope and flow direction protects the wrong inlet.

For method detail see wash water recovery and containment methods, and stormwater compliance.

Frequency

• Inlet mapping — complete once, then verify annually and after any site work that could alter drainage.
• Inlet condition — inspect quarterly, and before the start of the rainy season.
• Discharge risk review — annually, and on any change of tenancy or site use.
• Contractor verification — every cleaning event, without exception.
• Requirements confirmation — annually with the local jurisdiction.

What This Checklist Does Not Cover

This is an operational checklist to support property maintenance practice. It is not legal or regulatory advice, does not state the requirements applicable to your property, and does not substitute for a stormwater pollution prevention plan where one is required. Requirements vary by municipality and by site activity; confirm what applies to you with your local jurisdiction, and seek qualified advice where a specific compliance question arises.