Vote on Water Rules Delayed

State water officials put off voting on sweeping new rules on storm-water runoff in northern and central Orange County after city and county officials objected to dozens of revisions that they never got a chance to review.

The Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board’s unanimous vote came after more than three dozen county and city officials, environmentalists, attorneys and a few residents testified at the five-hour meeting in the Santa Ana City Council chambers.

The regulations, mandated by the federal Clean Water Act, are meant to reduce the amount of polluted runoff tainting waterways. Though some people disagree, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says that runoff--the car oil, pet waste and other contaminants washed off streets and lawns into storm drains, creeks and eventually the ocean--is the No. 1 cause of coastal pollution.

New requirements include strict inspections of construction sites, carwashes, restaurants and other businesses that often are runoff sources; requirements that discharges from storm drains must not cause or contribute to water-quality violations of state limits; and the launch of a public-education campaign.

The rules are contained in a five-year permit that must be adopted by the regional board. The permit--required by the federal Clean Water Act--applies to the county and 25 cities in northern and central Orange County.

The vote was delayed because the cities did not get a chance to comment on 49 recent revisions to the regulations. Revisions made earlier this month were mailed to the county, but were not to the 25 affected cities. A new set of revisions was released late Tuesday afternoon, not allowing anyone to comment.