Stop Sewage Pollution in SF Bay

Stop Sewage Pollution in SF Bay

The Bay Area’s network of underground sewer pipes is many decades old. That means the cracked sewage pipes are letting in large amounts of rainwater. During big storms, wastewater treatment agencies get overwhelmed and are forced to discharge raw and partially treated sewage into the Bay.

These discharges are smelly, and can be harmful too. Sewage pollution contains bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens that can make people sick, and kill fish and other wildlife.

Climate change is causing extreme weather, so big storms are becoming more common. That means we’re exposed to sewage pollution more frequently on our streets and in the Bay.

Fortunately, there are solutions. Fixing these old pipes will stop raw sewage from going into the Bay every time it rains. What's more, upgrading our wastewater treatment plants will help prevent sewage discharges—and new wastewater recycling technologies will also help prevent the kinds of deadly toxic red tides that killed countless fish around the Bay this past summer.

Let the SF Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board know you’re sick of sewage. Ask the agency to stop sewage from polluting San Francisco Bay.

Tell the Regional Water Board to Take Action:

Letter *

Dear SF Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board, Climate change is fueling more and more violent storms, yet the Bay Area’s sewage treatment systems are outdated and fail to meet the region’s needs. Many of our cities’ pipes and treatment plants have become unable to handle the increasing frequency and intensity of our regular winter storms. That’s why cities should be required to inspect, repair, and maintain sewer pipes to prevent large volumes of storm water from entering the system. In addition, new regulations can encourage sewage treatment agencies to upgrade their plants to better filter, reuse, and recycle wastewater so that they’re not discharging pollutants into the Bay. As a bonus, the same upgrades that will stop sewage facilities from dumping raw sewage into the Bay every time it rains will also prevent the nutrient pollution that leads to the red tides and catastrophic fish deaths that the Bay experienced this past summer. Thank you for taking strong and timely action to protect our Bay and local communities from sewage pollution. Upgrading our sewage treatment plants will require significant investments in time and money, but the improvements will be a win for the Bay all around. Sincerely,

First Name *

Last Name *

Email *

Your city *

State *

All fields are required. By taking action, you'll be subscribed to receive periodic emails from Baykeeper.

Leave this field blank