San Jose’s creeks and rivers have some of the worst trash and bacteria pollution in the Bay Area. When Baykeeper first discovered the city’s high pollution levels several years ago, San Jose was not addressing the root causes related to their faulty storm water system.
Our Staff Scientist collected numerous water samples documenting that water flowing from the city into Coyote Creek and Guadalupe River—which feed into San Francisco Bay—was heavily contaminated with trash and dangerously high levels of bacteria.
But things are changing.
The Baykeeper legal team used the results of our investigation to hold the city accountable. In a landmark Clean Water Act agreement in 2016, San Jose committed to make sweeping changes in how it manages trash, sewage, and other forms of pollution from its storm drains. Baykeeper and San Jose are now working together to ensure the city makes concrete progress to meet these new goals to reduce Bay pollution.
One critical step towards making that progress will be up for a public vote this year. On Election Day, San Jose voters will get to decide on Measure T, the Disaster Preparedness, Public Safety, and Infrastructure Bond.
Measure T would approve funding for a range of projects, including dedicating $25 million to upgrade storm infrastructure that will reduce water pollution, recharge groundwater supplies, and beautify the city’s landscape.
These upgrades will stem the flow of trash and bacteria contamination into the Bay. And supporting more green spaces within the city will result in multiple other health and community benefits, too!
Baykeeper urges San Jose voters to support Measure T to keep harmful pollution out of Coyote Creek, the Guadalupe River, and San Francisco Bay.
Photo by Peter Thoeny, Flickr/CC
