LID Ordinance and History

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Low Impact Development (LID) requirements are part of the regulatory requirements incorporated into the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permit. The Los Angeles Water Board regulates discharges from MS4s through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit for MS4 Discharges within the Coastal Watersheds of Los Angeles and Ventura County. The most recent iteration of the MS4 Permit was adopted by the Los Angeles Water Board on July 23, 2021 (ORDER NO. R4-2021-0105).


To ensure compliance with the LID requirements in line with the MS4 Permit, in November 2011, the City of Los Angeles adopted the Stormwater LID Ordinance (Ordinance #181899), updated September 2015 (Ordinance #183833), and later updated April 2024 (Ordinance #188125) with the stated purpose of:

  • Reducing stormwater/urban runoff while improving water quality;
  • Promoting rainwater harvesting;
  • Reducing offsite runoff and providing increased groundwater recharge;
  • Reducing erosion and hydrologic impacts downstream; and
  • Enhancing the recreational and aesthetic values in our communities