City of Manhattan Beach
Stormwater Program Highlights
Residents of Manhattan Beach are strongly supportive of protecting beaches and the ocean and the City commits significant resources to improve and protect the water quality of our beaches. The City of Manhattan Beach implements a storm water pollutionprevention program to protect water quality in Santa Monica Bay.
Details of our program can be found on our web page as well as the City’s stormwater pollution prevention brochures.
Some highlights of the City’s efforts to protect beach water quality are featured below:
Low Flow Diversions
Non-stormwater runoff in the storm drain system caused by irrigation overspray and other types of nuisance runoff is diverted from the storm drain to the sanitary sewer during dry weather to provide treatment and prevent discharge of urban runoff to the beach. Low flow diversions are in operation at several key storm drain locations in the City.
Water Conservation and Water Efficient Landscaping Ordinance
Manhattan Beach adopted a strict water conservation ordinance that has measurably reduced dry weather runoff to Santa Monica Bay through reduction in outside water use and waste. New landscaping is required to comply with the water efficient landscape ordinance which will further reduce non-stormwater runoff.
Porous Paving
Porous paving allows rainfall to percolate through the paving and into the soil below carrying with it pollutants such as oil and grease and even bacteria from the surfaces of parking lots where they are gradually broken down by natural processes in the soil. The City has installed porous concrete paving on seven (7) municipal parking lots, including the El Porto beach parking lot. The project was made possible by Prop 50 grant funding through the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission.
Gross Pollutant Separators
Vortex separators have been installed on major storm drain lines within the City. These units remove trash, debris and other gross pollutants from stormwater discharge.
Self-Contained Trash Enclosures
In order to prevent bacteria and other pollutants from entering the storm drain system from leaking trash dumpsters, the City requires that new trash enclosures be designed with a cover and an impervious base with a drain to the sanitary sewer system. This allows the area to be steam cleaned to maintain sanitary conditions without creating a discharge to the ocean via storm drains.
Clean Bay Restaurant Program
Restaurants in Manhattan Beach receive annual inspections conducted utilizing the storm water inspection checklist approved by the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission. A food service establishment that achieves a perfect score is awarded a Clean Bay Restaurant Certificate from the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission– look for this certificate at your favorite restaurant. A list of certified restaurants can be found here.
Fats Oils and Grease (FOG) Ordinance
The FOG ordinance prevents sanitary sewer overflows by requiring the installation of grease interceptors for all food service establishments that are likely to discharge FOG into the sanitary sewer. It also mandates the removal of food grinders. Use of food grinders and discharge of FOG are major contributors to sewer line clogging and sanitary sewer overflows which trigger beach closures if the overflow enters the storm drain system.
Other aspects of the City’s stormwater pollution prevention program include but are not limited to:
- Enhanced Street Sweeping
- Trash exclusion devices on storm drain inlets
- Storm drain maintenance and catch basin cleaning
- Covered trash cans
- Pet waste stations
- Frequent inspection of active construction sites
- Elimination of illegal discharges
Find out more about our environmental programs and what you can do to help by visiting the Manhattan Beach Public Works Department environmental programs web page.
Information on the City’s related and integrated environmental programs are featured on the “Going Green” web page.
