EBMUD treats the wastewater you send down your drains to protect the San Francisco Bay. But when winter storms arrive, water in saturated soil can seep through cracks in aging private and public sewer pipes that lead to our Wastewater Treatment Plant. Average wastewater flows can spike dramatically during heavy rains – from about 50 million gallons to 500 million gallons a day! That can overwhelm our systems and lead to partially untreated sewage spills.
EBMUD continually invests in our infrastructure and improves operational efficiencies to handle heavy flows. There are also important steps you can take to help keep our environment healthy.
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Check your Sewer line
Private sewer laterals, or PSLs, are the pipes that carry wastewater from your home or business to city sewers in the street. There are as many feet of underground PSLs as city sewer mains, and leaks can spell trouble for the environment and for building occupants. If you are within EBMUD’s wastewater service area and plan to sell your property, complete a remodel above $100,000, or change water meter size, you must certify your PSL as leak-free. Learn more at ebmud.com/psl. -
Compost Fats & Grease
Put cooking fats, oils and grease (aka “FOG”) in your compost or garbage, not down your drain. FOG can clog pipes and lead to sewage backups in your home (gross!) or congeal in public sewer mains, causing costly blockages that can send sewage into streets and threaten the environment (double gross!). Scrape FOG from plates, pots and pans into the compost before washing your dishes. Learn more at ebmud.com/fog. -
Don’t flush wipes
So-called “flushable” wipes do not break down like toilet paper. Wipes clog pipes and belong in the trash. Google the term “fatberg” if you need convincing. Only flush the 3 Ps – pee, poop and (toilet) paper.