Keeping Sewage Out of the Bay

Baykeeper's Sick of Sewage Initiative

After more than a decade of working to stop sewage spills to the Bay, San Franicsco Baykeeper has launched a Sick of Sewage Initiative to rein in the Bay’s sewage spill problem. The Sick of Sewage Initiative tackles both immediate sewage spill incidents and the systemic problem of inadequate sewage infrastructure in Bay Area communities, through investigative water quality monitoring, legal action, advocacy for new laws and public education. Baykeeper is holding the worst polluters accountable and advocating for a region-wide upgrade to sewer systems in the Bay Area to keep sewage out of our homes, streets, creeks and the Bay.

Legal Action: Enforcing the Clean Water Act

February 2010: Baykeeper successfully settled our lawsuit against the City of San Carlos for its thousands of gallons of sewage spills in violation of the Clean Water Act. Baykeeper also filed suit against the City of San Bruno for rampant sewage spills. Read more about Baykeeper's work to control sewage spills from local communities.

San Francisco Baykeeper uses the citizen suit provision of the Clean Water Act to hold polluters accountable for illegal sewage spills. We have previously leveraged sewage infrastructure upgrades in the cities of Vallejo, Richmond, Burlingame, Burlingame Hills and Hillsborough and is currently working with the East Bay Municipal Utilities District to improve systems in East Bay cities. We also have a series of active lawsuits in San Mateo County and the East Bay.

Read more about our successful settlements to prevent sewage spills to the Bay.

Investigative Water Quality Monitoring: Finding Sewage Contamination

Baykeeper has initiated a bacteria monitoring program to gather data about sewage contamination in the Bay. Baykeeper staff have so far collected and analyzed more than thirty samples from storm drains and creeks that drain into the Bay, and we will continue to collect samples from locations around the Bay.

Policy Reform: The California Clean Water Act

In 2008, Baykeeper sponsored a bill in the California Legislature would have improved the transparency and accountability of sewage operations across the state by identify failing sewer systems that pollute our neighborhoods and waterways. The bill, the California Clean Water Act, passed the California Legislature but was vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger in September 2008.  The bill would have required the State Water Board to give a letter grade of A, B, C or F to every sewage treatment plant and collection system in California. This system would have brought attention to sewer systems, held sewage operators accountable for sewage spills and helped keep California communities informed about sewage pollution in their cities. Despite the bill’s veto, Baykeeper continues to work towards each of these goals every day.

Public Education: How You Can Help Stop Sewage Spills

Baykeeper works in Bay Area communities to increase the public’s understanding of how our daily actions impact our sewer systems and can lead to sewage spills. There are easy changes you can make at home to protect San Francisco Bay and our community from sewage pollution. Read Baykeeper’s Ten Tips to help prevent sewage spills and overflows to the Bay.

Every holiday season, San Francisco Baykeeper and the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) work together to raise awareness about sewage backups caused by fats, oil and grease and have developed recommendations to help individuals stop winter sewage spills. Read more about our FOG Campaign and learn where to drop off used cooking oil.