Water Quality and Supply Issues Monthly Update - October 2025
Autumn has arrived across California’s construction industry, and with it comes the first signs of wet weather. 🌧️ Now is the time to make sure job sites are secure and ready — with effective runoff prevention, erosion control, and trained teams prepared to respond as conditions change.
Here’s what you need to know this month 👇
🏗️ Advocating Smarter Risk Assessments in the Construction General Permit
CICWQ is pushing for fairer, more accurate construction stormwater risk calculations across California.
🌿 Advancing High-Flow Biofiltration Systems in Ventura County
CICWQ is advocating for stormwater treatment solutions that balance performance, flexibility, and compliance.
💧 Recognizing Certified Stormwater BMP Programs
CICWQ supports verified, science-based stormwater programs that ensure proven field performance.
Stay informed, stay engaged, and help shape California’s water quality future. Read each item in detail and share your insights with CICWQ — your feedback helps guide our advocacy for practical, effective stormwater policy.
OCTOBER NEWSWORTHY ITEMS
1️⃣ CICWQ Requests Changes to the Construction General Permit for Stormwater at CASQA Annual Conference in September 2025
CICWQ representatives, Mark Grey and Russ Foster, who both serve on the CGP Training Team for the State, were selected by the California Stormwater Quality Association (CASQA) to deliver a presentation at its annual conference in Pasadena in September 2025, advocating for the R-Factor adjustment in complying with the CGP requirements.
A new property owner/permittee seeking CGP coverage must use the original project location start date (R Factor) to calculate the Risk Level (1 to 3) when a property is sold from an existing owner and permit holder (who has filed a Notice of Termination (NOT)) to a new owner who is applying for CGP coverage. The Risk Level of a project is a MAJOR site development cost factor for any public or private project owner.
🔗 Read our full presentation to see how this change could benefit your next project.
2️⃣ CICWQ Advocating for Use of Space Saving High-Flow Biofiltration Systems for Municipal Stormwater Permit Compliance
CICWQ is leading a collaborative effort of builders and developers to advocate for the specification and use of proprietary biofiltration systems sized on a volume basis in Ventura County. The County just updated its MS4 Permit-required Technical Guidance Manual for project developers, and specifically eliminated the consideration of systems designed on a volume capture basis.
CICWQ is suggesting changes to the 2025 TGM to fulfill the responsibility to reduce the discharge of pollutants to the maximum extent practicable while preserving important flexibility for developers and engineers who are working on challenging sites, including infill, redevelopment, and high-density housing projects.
🔗 View our presentation to the Ventura County Planning and Land Development Subcommittee.
3️⃣ Working for You: Supporting Recognition and Use of Stormwater Management Best Practices (BMP) Certification and Verification Programs in Permits
As BMP engineering design and monitoring performance have advanced over the past 20 years, since Low Impact Development principles (stormwater runoff capture and retention) were first included in California stormwater permits, so have performance-based testing procedures and protocols to ensure BMPs meet applicable water quality standards.
CICWQ is in full support of recognition and use of rigorous certification and verification programs, such as the Washington Department of Ecology’s TAPE program and the national STEPP verification program, administered by the National Municipal Stormwater Alliance. In the coming months, we’ll be going into more detail about how these programs can help planners and public works officials better manage stormwater runoff pollution as part of the existing permitting process, and how we can get involved to make a difference for water quality.
🔗 Learn more about these two programs.
