Spills or Dumping in City Creeks

The City of Santa Rosa provides services for public drainage systems within the city limits except for Sonoma County Water Agency facilities. If your property is outside of the city limits, please call the County of Sonoma for public drainage services.

What is a spill?

Section 17-12.140 of the City's Storm Water Ordinance defines a spill as: The release of non-storm water discharges into the City's storm water system.

What happens when a spill is reported?

When a spill is reported, personnel are quickly dispatched to the scene to evaluate the situation. The Spill Response Team may include Environmental Specialists, Civil Engineering Technicians, a Quality Control Associate and staff from the Public Works Field Services Division. The Team’s primary focus is to educate the public about water quality and the importance of pollution prevention.  Depending on the type and amount of material spilled and the spill location, additional City Departments and other agencies may be called in, including the Santa Rosa Fire and/or Police Departments, Santa Rosa Utilities Dept.-Environment Compliance, Sonoma County Water Agency, California Department of Fish and Game and the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board.

The most commonly reported spills include motor oil, paint, gray/soapy water, silt/mud/dirt, concreted, and gas/diesel.

What to expect on site:

• In most cases the spill response team member works with the responsible party involved, providing instructions on cleanup (if necessary) and educational materials.
• In some cases the spill responder will call the Public Works Field Services Division for assistance in clean-up, and depending on the spill material type, amount and other factors; the individual responsible for the spill may be billed for the cleanup cost.
• In rare cases, as with multiple repeat offenders, a Notice of Violation is issued which carries a fine of $500 a day per violation. 

When dealing with a business, a letter may be sent asking for a written statement of their Best Management Practices to prevent Spills and Spill Cleanup. Failure to comply can result in a Notice of Violation.

Information about the spill is recorded in a database and later collated and analyzed to direct the City’s educational and outreach efforts. The data is also used to better our understanding how our activities affect the environment of local creeks.