Services / Stormwater

California Stormwater Compliance & SWPPP Support

Federal Clean Water Act Compliance for Industrial & Construction Operations

The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) stormwater program, implemented in California through the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) and nine Regional Water Quality Control Boards, requires industrial facilities and construction projects to actively control pollutants in stormwater runoff before it enters waters of the state.

Non-compliance with stormwater permit conditions can result in significant penalties, third-party environmental lawsuits, and costly remediation obligations. We provide professional hydrology and environmental planning services that keep industrial, municipal, and construction clients in continuous compliance with California's stormwater requirements — from initial permit enrollment through annual reporting and field-level BMP management.

Our team includes qualified stormwater professionals with QSP and QSD certifications who provide the specialized expertise California's stormwater permits require.

Core Technical Services

Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPP)

A Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan is the cornerstone compliance document for facilities subject to the Industrial or Construction General Permit. We conduct comprehensive site assessments to identify all potential pollutant sources, map drainage pathways and discharge points, and develop custom Best Management Practice (BMP) blueprints tailored to your facility's specific industrial activities and California Regional Water Board requirements.

SMARTS Database Registration & Annual Reporting

The Stormwater Multiple Application and Report Tracking System (SMARTS) is California's statewide portal for permit registration and annual compliance reporting. Our team handles all SMARTS submissions — Notices of Intent (NOI), Notices of Termination (NOT), No Exposure Certifications (NEC), Annual Reports, and exceedance reports — ensuring filings are timely, accurate, and complete.

Industrial (IGP) & Construction (CGP) General Permits

Facilities discharging stormwater associated with industrial activities must enroll under the Industrial General Permit (Order 2014-0057-DWQ), while construction projects disturbing one or more acres require the Construction General Permit. We perform regulatory applicability analyses, develop monitoring programs, evaluate Action Level thresholds for required parameters, and provide Qualified SWPPP Practitioner (QSP) and Qualified SWPPP Developer (QSD) engineering support.

Field Sampling, BMPs & Inspections

Stormwater compliance isn't just paperwork — it requires physical field work during actual rain events. We conduct on-site water sampling, coordinate with certified laboratories for analytical testing, manage compliance with Numeric Action Levels (NALs) and Numeric Effluent Limits (NELs), perform mandatory quarterly and annual visual site assessments, and evaluate BMP effectiveness to ensure your discharge meets permit requirements.

Service Highlights

SWPPP Development & Annual Updates
SMARTS Portal Registration & Filings
Industrial General Permit (IGP) Compliance
Construction General Permit (CGP) Compliance
QSP/QSD Engineering Support
Stormwater Sampling & Lab Coordination
BMP Design & Effectiveness Reviews
Annual Reports & Exceedance Notifications

Stormwater permit questions?

Governing Authorities

SWRCB · Regional Water Boards · U.S. EPA NPDES · Federal Clean Water Act · SMARTS Portal

Need a SWPPP or stormwater permit enrollment?

Let our QSP/QSD-qualified team handle your permit enrollment, sampling, and annual reporting.

Schedule a Free Consultation

Planning your stormwater compliance review

Stormwater permit coverage depends on industrial activities, site exposure, construction disturbance and discharge conditions. An SPCC plan for oil storage does not replace a SWPPP or applicable stormwater permit.

What to prepare for a consultation

Share your site plan, drainage information, industrial activities or construction scope, existing SWPPP and SMARTS enrollment details.

Regulatory reference: California Water Boards stormwater program. Requirements vary by site and jurisdiction.

Discuss your facility or project with ECA

Your facility may have obligations across more than one program. Explore related requirements before planning your next step.