Construction Best Management Practices
Construction activities can impact water quality due to soil disturbance during grading and the types of materials and equipment used. As storm water flows over a construction site, it can pick up pollutants such as sediment, oil, fuels, paints, adhesives, trash, debris, and fertilizers. This polluted storm water runoff can harm or kill fish and other wildlife, and can destroy aquatic habitats.
Best Management Practices (BMPs) are required to be implemented on all construction sites to eliminate or reduce erosion and pollutants from discharging into La Mesa’s storm drain system.
Construction Storm Water Requirements
For sites disturbing more than one acre of soil, including smaller sites that are part of a larger common plan, the project applicant must also obtain coverage under the State’s Construction General Permit by submitting a
Notice of Intent (NOI) to the State Water Resources Control Board and developing a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP). A grading permit will not be issued by the City without demonstrating proof of coverage under the permit and submitting a complete SWPPP.
For project sites which are under one acre in disturbed area and do not require a Notice of Intent and SWPPP, a Construction Storm Water Management Plan (CSWMP) shall be submitted to the City of La Mesa.