Contra Costa Clean Water Program
The Contra Coast Clean Water Program consists of Contra Costa Country, all 19 cities and towns within the county and the Contra Costa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District. Clean water is an important natural resource to all types of life and the environment, as members of the Clean Water Program we are keepers/protectors of the watershed and are governed by the City’s NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permit. The NPDES permit limits and controls the types and amounts of pollutants entering our waterways to keep them safe and clean. For detailed information on the NPDES Program, its background and history, and co-permittees, please visit the
Contra Costa Clean Water Program’s webpage.
Stormwater and Storm Drains
During and after it rains, water that lands on impervious surfaces such as roads and streets can accumulate and cause flooding issues. Storm drains are used to collect this water and divert it, untreated, back into nature in order to keep our streets safe from flooding. STORM DRAINS DO NOT CONNECT TO THE SEWER SYSTEM. Everything that goes into a storm drain flows directly into our delta and effects our drinking water and native wildlife. That is why it is so important to keep our storm drains clean!
The illegal dumping of garbage and pollutants into our storm drains causes a chain reaction of damage that must be stopped. Motor oil, cigarette butts, and other garbage dumped and washed into the storm drains are visible eyesores that are strangling the Delta. Equally damaging are invisible silent killers such as insecticides and chemicals in dirt that's carried by rainwater into the Delta.
For more information check out the City of Pittsburg's "Keep the Delta Alive: Stop Storm Drain Pollution" Brochure [PDF].
How Can You Help?
As a part of the Clean Water Program we provide opportunities such as The Great Pittsburg Cleanup and Pittsburg's Adopt-a-Spot. These are a great way to make a positive impact and volunteer your time in your community. Creek cleanup groups around the bay area and in Pittsburg have found items like cigarette butts, paper, cans, old toys, and even shopping carts.
For great tips on how you can reduce the amount of trash you produce check out these articles by the Contra Coast Times:
Contra Costa Times You Turn - It is everybody's job to keep litter out of our water [PDF]
Contra Costa Times Your Turn - All must do our part on litter [PDF]
For more tips, information, and ways you can help from recycling to alternative lawn care:
Did you know....... Plastic is not biodegradable and very little of it (less than 4%) is recycled. Because it is durable and lightweight, plastic debris travels over vast distances and accumulates on beaches and in the ocean. The majority of marine debris is plastic.
In the Central North Pacific Gyre, pieces of plastic outweigh surface zooplankton by a factor of 6 to 1. Fish and seabirds mistake plastic for food. Plastic debris release chemical additives and plasticizer into the ocean. For more information check out: Algalita Marine Research Foundation
Bay Friendly Landscaping for Professionals
Bay-Friendly Landscaping is a whole system approach to the design construction and maintenance of a landscape in order to support the integrity of our local creeks and the Delta. A well designed and maintained native garden can cost much less in the long run by using less water and fertilizer, and needing less attention.
For information for Landscape Professionals visit our Professional Native Landscaping Best Practices page and keep up to date on clean water policies by checking out the Clean Water Policy page.
To find a Bay Friendly Qualified Landscape Professional for your home visit: www.bayfriendlycoalition.org
For information on Contra Costa Water District's Water Efficient Landscape Rebate Program visit: www.ccwater.com
Spare the Air
Did you know that keeping the air clean is a vital part of keeping our Delta and creeks clean too? Water and air are directly connected through the water cycle, meaning that pollutants released into the air can contaminate our water supply by falling down as rain. That is why California's Spare the Air program is so important. There are several ways you can sign-up and stay informed when alerts are issued for the Bay Area including e-mail, Facebook, and Twitter. For more information visit www.sparetheair.org.
New Development/C.3
Are you a developer or contractor looking for more information on Provision C.3 and Stormwater Control Plans? Please use the following links:
Stormwater C.3 Update
Stormwater C.3 Guidebook [PDF]
Appendix A (specific to each municipality) [PDF]
For more information on the City’s NPDES Program, please contact the City NPDES Coordinator:
Jolan Longway
Civil Engineer II/NPDES Coordinator
Phone: (925) 252-4930
Email: jlongway@ci.pittsburg.ca.us