Vote on Tough Runoff Rules for South County Postponed

State water regulators Wednesday postponed a vote on stringent new runoff rules for south Orange County that some officials fear could cost local cities $15 million a year and not improve water quality.

“It’s important for us to deliberate carefully on all the comments that were made,” said John Minan, chairman of the state’s San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board.

The board decided to postpone a decision after a nearly 10-hour public hearing in Mission Viejo.

Board staff members said the matter will be brought up again after the board considers issues raised during the meeting.

The proposed restrictions are intended to decrease pollutants flowing into local waterways and the ocean.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has said that urban runoff--the car oil, pet waste and other contaminants washed off streets and lawns and into storm drains, creeks and eventually the ocean--is the county’s No. 1 cause of coastal pollution.

The strict measures are provisions of a permit required by the federal Clean Water Act every five years. They would apply to 12 cities, Orange County and the county’s Flood Control District in South County.

Key provisions would include:

* Requiring most new developments and major redevelopment projects to install devices that slow and cleanse the first runoff after a rainfall, which is typically the dirtiest because it picks up contaminants that have accumulated on city streets for weeks or months.

* Prohibiting runoff from flowing out of storm drains and polluting local waterways.

* Inspecting construction, industrial, commercial and municipal sites for contamination.

* Educating people about the impact of urban runoff.

“The reason they have to do a new plan is because their current plan is so atrocious,” said David Beckman, a senior attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Beckman was one of more than 50 environmentalists, government officials, lawyers, builders and residents who testified at Wednesday’s hearing.

County and city officials say they are spending nearly $7 million this fiscal year to comply with storm water regulations and expect new requirements to add at least $15 million to that.

Many fear the proposed regulations would accomplish little except crack down on people hosing off driveways, washing cars and watering lawns.

Officials from some newer cities, such as Aliso Viejo and Rancho Santa Margarita, said they are worried about the financial impact of these major unplanned expenses.