A contractor will be working with East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) to perform smoke tests on sanitary sewer lines in your area. As the sewers in your neighborhood are predominantly in easements (mostly running through backyards), an unmanned aerial vehicle (commonly referred to as a “drone”) will be flown over the sewer easement to observe the smoke testing.
As part of a Wet Weather Consent Decree, EBMUD is assisting local communities in the inspection of their collection systems to find sources of stormwater and groundwater that are improperly entering the sanitary sewer system. These sources contribute to issues associated with localized sanitary sewer overflows and degraded water quality in the San Fransisco Bay.
EBMUD contractors use drones to look for smoke that may be escaping from the sewer. Using drones reduces disruption to residents by minimizing the need for EBMUD contractors to access easements on private property on foot.
If smoke is seen coming from a property, EBMUD’s contractor may need to access exterior portions of the property to further investigate potential defects in the sewer or improper connections to the sewer. Access will be required if the source emitting the smoke is not able to be positively identified via the drone.
Contractors will not need access to your residence but may need to access exterior portions of your property if smoke is seen on your property. If smoke is observed and contractors cannot access the area to further investigate, EBMUD may need to schedule a follow-up investigation on a future date.
The drone will not record video, but the drone operator will remotely take photographs of locations where smoke is escaping from the sewer. The images will be similar to those available in common navigation applications, such as Google Earth and Apple Maps.
Drone cameras will examine any areas that are shown to be plumbed into the sanitary sewer by the presence of smoke from an aerial view. These areas include roadways, structure roofs, and areas immediately surrounding structures. Images will not capture interior spaces.
If you have any problems or concerns, please contact the contractor using the contact information provided on the provided doorhanger notice.
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