Clean Water Program
What is the Clean Water Program?
The Clean Water Act passed in 1972 gives Americans a right to waterways that are clean, biologically intact and includes an array of requirements to reach these goals. The City and Countywide Clean Water Programs help facilitate local compliance by:
- Implementing pollution prevention programs
- Collaborating with other public agencies in Alameda County
- Fostering a culture of stewardship
- Educating residents and businesses on how to prevent stormwater pollution
How YOU can Prevent Pollution from Entering Our Water Ways?
Residents and Businesses play a crucial role in protecting our waterways from pollution. You can help prevent pollution from entering our storm drains by implementing the proper Best Management Practices (BMP’s) below!
How Does Pollution Enter Our Water Ways?
Stormwater runoff is generated from rain that flows over land or impervious surfaces, such as paved streets, parking lots, and building rooftops. This runoff picks up pollutants created by the day-to-day activities of residents and businesses like trash, chemicals, oils, grease, metals and dirt/sediment, and transports them into our storm drains which directly flow untreated into our local creeks, wetlands, and eventually to the bay.
How Do I Report Dumping into the Storm Drain System?
- Call the Public Works Department at (925) 931-5500 between the hours of Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
- Report in the Mainstar portal between the hours of Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
- After hours, please call Pleasanton Police Dispatch at (925) 931-5100.
What Is the Difference Between a Storm Drain and the Sanitary Sewer?
Sanitary sewer drains are in residential and commercial buildings and collect water from toilets, sinks, drains and directs them to a wastewater treatment plant where it is treated and filtered. While these drains are typically located inside buildings, there are some cases where drains outdoors will lead to the sanitary sewer system.
Storm drains are located in parking lots and streets and collect water runoff from driveways, parking lots, roads, gutters, buildings, and more, and transport them to our local creeks and eventually out to the bay.
If you are unsure whether a drain leads to the sanitary sewer system or the storm drain system, reach out to the City of Pleasanton Environmental Services Staff through Contact Us below.
What is the City doing?
In accordance with the Clean Water Program and the Municipal Regional Stormwater Permit issued by the state of California, the City of Pleasanton is taking the following actions to help protect and preserve our waterways.- Implements the Best Management Practices (BMP’s) to control and reduce pollutant discharges into our storm drains during municipal operations such as road repairs and sidewalk maintenance.
- Inspects industrial and commercial sites likely to contribute to pollution of stormwater runoff.
- Regulates new developments/redevelopments for effective stormwater controls.
- Requires the implementation of sediment and other pollutant controls for construction projects.
- Responds to illicit discharges.
- Minimizes trash getting to our waterways through active street sweeping, storm drain maintenance and the deployment of trash capture devices.
- Green Infrastructure Projects within the City of Pleasanton.
- Provides education, outreach, and resources to residents and businesses.
Stream Maintenance for Water Conveyance
Maintenance of stream sections and stormwater detention ponds is necessary to ensure proper water flow through streams, improve water quality and reduce the risk of flooding. The City of Pleasanton conducted an environmental review to assess the potential impacts of implementing the periodic, routine maintenance activities on specific stream segments and stormwater detention ponds within the City of Pleasanton to improve water conveyance and quality. The resulting Negative Declaration is available below for the general public. Questions with regards to Pleasanton’s Stream Maintenance Project can be sent via our contact form.
Additional Resources
- Pleasanton is a part of the Alameda Countywide Clean Water Program. To help assist businesses and residents in Alameda County. ACCWP has a wide variety of resources available to the public.
- Stores that provide fact sheets and shelf tags for customers choosing non-toxic products.
- Clean Swell – “Join a global movement to keep beaches, waterways and the ocean trash free. Head out to your favorite beach and use the app to easily record each item of trash you collect!”
- Household Hazardous Waste Alameda County Drop-Offs
Past Recorded Webinars
- View recorded Clean Water Program Webinars about organic gardening and non-toxic pest control.
- View past Bay Area water supply & conservation agency webinars.