Urban Runoff Rules Heat Up In California

Orange County faces stringent runoff rules approved recently by California water regulators. The rules will help to manage urban runoff by diverting, slowing or cleansing the water before it enters coastal waterways. While environmentalists embrace the rules, several local officials fear the additional costs in order for the county to comply. One city manager says that the costs of the mandate will result in cutting funding for other programs like transportation and recreation. "The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has identified urban runoff--water that washes car oil, pet waste and other contaminants off streets and lawns into storm drains, creeks and eventually the ocean--as the No. 1 cause of coastal pollution."

Thanks to California Policy Forum