City of San Luis Obispo, CA

Home Menu

Job Openings Agendas Staff Directory News Volunteer Subscribe

I WANT TO...

FIND A SERVICE

I WANT TO...

Learn More

Stormwater

Font Size: + -

Feedback Print

PROTECT AND CELEBRATE OUR WATER RESOURCES

REPORT POLLUTION

TAKE ACTION

The City of San Luis Obispo’s focus on stormwater ensures water quality in our creeks, streams, lakes, and ocean remains high by reducing the potential for flooding, erosion, and various types of water pollution. Stormwater and watershed quality can be compromised not only from natural events like flooding, but also from activities such as changing the oil in your car, fertilizing your lawn, or painting your house. Studies across the U.S. have shown a correlation between the activities that occur within a watershed and diminishing water quality.

Protecting the stormwater in San Luis Obispo will help ensure high water quality not only for the citizens of our communities but also for the steelhead that navigate our local creeks, marine life in our ocean, and a variety of other animals that we share our surroundings with. For ways you can help protect our stormwater and create healthy watersheds for future generations check out our Take Action page.

What is runoff?

Sampling SLO Creek

Stormwater is runoff or the draining away from rain that flows off of streets, properties, and rooftops into storm drains. Water travels from storm drain systems directly into local creeks and ultimately out to our local beaches.

In San Luis Obispo wastewater and stormwater are two completely separate systems. Unlike wastewater, stormwater receives no treatment before it reaches our creeks and beaches. The lack of treatment of this water requires us to take extra precautions to keep our creeks and other bodies of water clean and safe.

The quality of the water entering our storm drains can have an extreme impact on our environment.

As water is discharged from our storm drain system into our creeks we must remember that stormwater affects local wildlife, drinking water sources, and San Luis Obispo Creek, which runs through downtown and is home to many threatened steelhead.

FAQ Box

It’s ok for me to do this in other towns; why can’t I do it in SLO?

The City of San Luis Obispo, along with several communities throughout the state, has adopted local regulations that prohibit pollution from entering our surrounding waterways. While it’s the law, it’s also the right thing to do. San Luis Creek is home to several types of wildlife including threatened species, provides recreational opportunities, and is a focal point of our community.
Why should I be concerned with stormwater when it’s not raining?

Debris and contaminants can accumulate throughout the year in the stormwater system and will be carried into the local waterways in potentially harmful amounts during the next rain.
Can I blow my leaves into the gutter?

No. Leaves cannot be intentionally blown, left, or deposited in the gutter, stormdrain, or drainage system. In natural settings, only the leaves from trees and bushes next to the creek would fall into a creek. While a little amount of this natural material can be beneficial, the amount picked up by all the trees in the City is far more than the creek can tolerate.
Where can I drain my pool?

You can drain your pool into the sanitary sewer through a sewer lateral cleanout or drain. Chlorine and salts in pool water can kill native steelhead, even in small amounts.
What can be discharged into the gutter?

Uncontaminated groundwater, air conditioning condensation, uncontaminated roof, foundation, footing, or French drain flow(not including active groundwater dewatering systems), flows from riparian habitats and wetlands, residential car-washing and firefighting flows. Discharges of polluted water to the gutter flow, untreated, into our local waterways.
What is the difference between the sanitary sewer and storm drain system?

Storm drains are SEPARATE from the sewer system.

The SANITARY SEWER takes all the water from inside homes and businesses (such as sinks, bathtubs, washing machines, and toilets) and sends it to a water treatment facility where the water is cleaned before being released to the ocean.

VS.

The STORM DRAIN system takes all the water from outside homes and businesses (such as rain and overwatering of lawns) and sends it untreated to our local creeks, rivers, bays, and eventually the ocean.

The storm drain system is designed as a flood control system. It allows water from heavy rainstorms to flow quickly to our waterways to avoid flooding our streets, homes, and businesses. However, both stormwater and non-stormwater runoff from homes and businesses can pick up pollutants as large as shopping carts or as microscopic as bacteria. These pollutants are flushed into our waterways, impacting the environment and recreation at our beaches.

Because runoff that gets into our storm drain system is untreated, it is extremely important we prevent pollutants from entering the storm drains and, ultimately, our waterways.