Stormwater Regulations

As authorized by the Clean Water Act, the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program controls water pollution by regulating discharge pollutants into waters of the United States.

The goal of provision C.3 is for local jurisdictions to use their planning authorities to include appropriate design measures for new and redevelopment projects to control stormwater runoff pollutant discharges. Contractors and developers performing work within the Town are also required to follow specific development and building standards related to the NPDES and Construction General permits
For this reason, all projects are required to complete the Town of Los Gatos NPDES C.3 Data Form.

For more information, contact Engineering Services at (408) 399-5771 or by email to ppw@losgatosca.gov

The implementation of green stormwater features helps to reduce the quantity of water and pollutants flowing into storm drains and local creeks. This fact sheet provided below offers information about a number of possibilities and the opportunities where they can potentially be implemented.

Green Stormwater Features Fact Sheet

The Santa Clara Valley Urban Runoff Pollution Prevention Program (SCVURPPP) has developed a C.3 Stormwater Handbook that provides guidance and serves as a very useful resource for developing and implementing stormwater control measures for projects. The handbook can be accessed and downloaded from their website. Key chapters to review include:

Another useful resource is the Santa Clara County Drainage Manual. Within this document, technical data such as the Mean Annual Precipitation (M.A.P.) map, rainfall intensity graphs, hydraulic information, formulas and calculations, and runoff coefficients can be located.

The Town of Los Gatos coordinates regulating the NPDES permit with West Valley Clean Water Program, West Valley Sanitation District, and Santa Clara Valley Urban Runoff Pollution Prevention Program. Click on the picture icons to visit the agency websites.