Heavy Rains Trigger Sewer System Breakdowns Across the Bay Area

Feb 4, 2010

See the recent San Francisco Chronicle article about sewage spills in San Francisco Bay.

Heavy storms in recnet week have caused multiple sewage spills and treatment facility overflows that are polluting waterways and closing beaches. Approximately 630,000 gallons have been discharged from 47 sewer system overflows – including 300,000 gallons spilled in Richmond due to a pump failure – as well as 90 million gallons of partially treated sewage released from wet weather facilities in the East Bay. Below is a map of sewage spills and overflows from across the region.

If you know of a spill that's not shown on this map, please report it to Baykeeper at hotline@baykeeper.org or 1-800-KEEP-BAY.

The Bay Area continues to struggle with the impacts of a failing sewage infrastructure. Every winter, rainwater infiltrates dilapidated sewer systems, spiking the volume of flow in sewer mains and overwhelming treatment plant capacity – which leads to sewage spills and overflows to local waterways and the Bay.

As part of our Sick of Sewage campaign, Baykeeper advocates for region-wide upgrades to local sewer systems. We're also going city-by-city to address problem systems, from Millbrae, San Carlos and the West Bay Sanitary District to seven satellite systems of the East Bay Municipal Utility District – including Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Emeryville, Oakland and Piedmont. Read more about Baykeeper's work to protect the Bay from sewage spills.

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