Bacterial Contamination in Sunnyvale’s Waterways Leads to Lawsuit

Feb 26, 2020
Source: 
Silicon Valley Voice

San Francisco Baykeeper, an organization that’s been monitoring pollution in the Bay for 30 years, has filed a lawsuit against the cities of Sunnyvale and Mountain View for water samples showing bacterial contamination 50 times higher than legal limits. Over the last couple of years, during both rainy and dry seasons, the organization’s scientists have taken samples in the two cities from storm drain outfalls, showing high levels of E. Coli and Enterococcus bacteria. The tests along with past research and investigations have pointed to old clay sewer pipes as the culprit. Baykeeper alleges that the aging pipes have cracked and caused raw sewage to leak into metal stormwater pipe systems and out into the South Bay waters. Some of the sewage pipes are over 60 years old.

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