Keeping your storm water site compliant with numerous local rules and regulations can feel like a full-time job.

However, the state of California is strict when it comes to storm water system compliance, and isn’t afraid to issue fines for discrepancies or negligent reporting. 

Here’s what you need to know about keeping your site compliant.

Who is required to file a storm water system maintenance report?

Every property is required to submit an annual verification report (which includes all inspection and maintenance reports collected throughout the year) to their city or governing municipality. These governing bodies will then submit these reports to the state. 

If you’re a homeowner, no need to worry – single-family homes typically don’t have their own BMPs. A Homeowner’s Association is usually responsible for the BMPs that accommodate housing divisions.

How often must reports be submitted?

Post-construction sites are required to submit reports to their city or governing municipality once per year.

What type of information needs to be included in these reports?

Storm water system compliance reports will include all of the inspection and maintenance reports of the various BMPs throughout the year. Typically, the manufacturer of a BMP will require inspections three times per year, semi-annually, or annually.

The city will look to see if there have been reports of deficiencies or neglect within a storm water system, and if these problems have been corrected.

What are the penalties for incomplete reports?

While heavy penalties are rare, they can still happen. 

If there is a discrepancy in the report, the city will typically reach out to the property manager to let them know there is an issue. If there is negligent reporting, a City Inspector can show up to a site and issue fines. 

Keeping up with all of the maintenance requirements for your site can be confusing. That’s why SWIMS has streamlined the reporting process with an easy-to-use software that allows all maintenance reports and inspections to be in one place. That way, you can see exactly what actions need to be taken regarding maintenance on your site and avoid paying fines. 

As the Storm Water Experts, SWIMS takes care of it all – including detailed inspections, maintenance on all of your devices, and on-time reporting. Contact us today for a free site inspection.