Construction project plans and design
must be in conformance with:​

• Phoenix City Code Chapter 32A
  
• City of Phoenix Storm Water Policies a​nd Standards Manual
  
• Maricopa County Drainage Design Manuals.
  

Designers are encouraged to incorporate rainwater collection and reuse system elements of the Phoenix Green Building Code into their projects whenever possible.

As a part of the construction plan review process, the City of Phoenix Planning and Development Department (P​DD) requires a Stormwater Management Plan (SWMP) and a Grading and Drainage Checklist to be attached to the Grading and Drainage plans when submitted for first review. The SWMP identifies Best Management Practices for the management of pollutants, such as sediments, chemicals, and debris, from stormwater runoff during construction and post-construction. During construction, PDD inspectors verify that the SWMP has been implemented and that the BMPs identified in the SWMP are effective in controlling pollutants from entering the City's storm drain system.

Additionally, construction activities which disturb one acre or more, including smaller sites in a larger project, are required to obtain permit coverage under the Arizona Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (AZPDES) program issued by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ).