For Burrtec Waste Committee Meeting February 12, 2026
TO: Burrtec Waste Committee Members
APPROVAL: Yazdan Emrani, Director of Public Works
FROM: Amy Crow, Administrative Analyst
Title
Street Sweeping Postcard
Body
BACKGROUND:
CLEAN WATER ACT (CWA)
Under the Federal Clean Water Act of 1972, each county and municipality throughout the nation is issued a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit. In 1987, the CWA was amended to shift the program's focus to establish requirements for storm water discharges. The City of Rialto, along with fifteen other cities, the San Bernardino County Flood Control District, and the County of San Bernardino, has joined the NPDES Storm Water Permit. The City recognizes the need to reduce the pollution carried by storm water into local rivers and creeks.
MUNICIPAL SEPARATE STORM SEWER SYSTEM (MS4)
The City’s intent is to protect and enhance the quality of watercourses, water bodies, groundwater and wetlands within the city in a manner consistent with the federal Clean Water Act, the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act and the municipal NPDES permit. The City also intends to ensure the health, safety and general welfare of the residents of the city by prescribing reasonable regulations to control effectively non-stormwater discharges containing pollutants into the city's municipal separate storm sewer system to the maximum extent practicable and to achieve specific objectives.
Chapter 10.28 - PARKING
10.28.040 - No parking areas.
No operator of any vehicle shall stop, stand, park, or leave standing such vehicle in any of the following places, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the direction of a police officer or other authorized officer, or traffic sign or signal:
G. On any street or highway where the use of such street or highway or a portion thereof is necessary for the cleaning, repair or construction of the street or highway or the installation of underground utilities or where the use of the street or highway or any portion thereof is authorized for a purpose other than the normal flow of traffic or where the use of the street or highway or any portion thereof is necessary for the movement of equipment, articles or structures of unusual size, and the parking of such vehicle prohibits or interferes with such use or movement; provided that signs giving notice of such no parking are erected or placed at least twenty-four hours prior to the effective time of such no parking;
10.28.050 - Vehicle storage on streets.
No person who owns or has possession, custody or control of any vehicle shall park such vehicle upon any street or alley for more than a consecutive period of seventy-two hours. If such parking occurs, then, pursuant to California Vehicle Code Section 22651(k), the police department may cause such vehicle to be towed away or otherwise removed, and stored or otherwise disposed of in a manner permitted by law.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION:
The City has updated its Storm Water Program to include the necessary Best Management Practices (BMPs) to control storm water pollution. Recent resident complaints and local enforcement officials’ observations indicate a number of parked vehicles impeding street sweepers from complying with NPDES BMPs and potentially in violation of municipal code.
Storm water pollution prevention requires each resident to make a commitment to changing daily routines and habits that adversely impact water quality. Postcards will be mailed to residents reminding them of their street sweeping schedule.