National Pollution Prevention Week September 17-23
September 17-23 is National Pollution Prevention Week, designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Pollution prevention is reducing or eliminating waste at the source by modifying production  processes, promoting the use of nontoxic or less toxic substances, implementing conservation techniques, and reusing materials rather than putting them into the waste stream.
National Pollution Prevention (P2) Week is held during the 3rd week in September each year and provides an opportunity for individuals, businesses and government agencies to highlight their P2 and environmental sustainability activities and achievements, expand current P2 efforts and commit to new actions.
The Silicon Valley Clean Water Pollution Prevention program is responsible for reducing pollutant wastewater discharge within its service area. Public education and outreach are the main tools used to achieve this goal.
For information about SVCW Public Education/Outreach contact:
- Pollution Prevention Specialist, Susan Hiestand
- Direct Phone:(650) 832-6279
- Email: [email protected]
High School program:
Sewer Science program is a 5-day wastewater treatment lab for high school students. This program is free to schools in SVCW's service area .
Elementary school program:
We are available for classroom visits for elementary schools. We will do a brief presentation about the wastewater treatment and resource recovery and provide the water cycle bracelet activity to do with the class.
ZunZun performance group:
SVCW funds 20 assemblies for elementary schools in the SVCW service area annually by ZunZun performance. The interactive show involves the students in water cycle, stormwater, and wastewater education through song and dance.
- 45 minutes long
- Grades K-6
- Bi-lingual (Spanish-English) shows available
- Shows meet CA State Content Standards in Science, Math, and Fine Arts
More information about SVCW's pollution prevention programs: http://www.svcw.org/programs/sitePages/p2.aspx
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Coastal Cleanup Day - Including Locations in Redwood City & Menlo Park - Set for Sept. 15
Coastal Cleanup Day (CCD), the largest annual volunteer effort in the U.S., is scheduled for Saturday, September 15.
Last year, more than 66,000 volunteers picked up almost 840,000 pounds of trash and recyclables from their local waterways across California The Coastal name is a misnomer, the effort is for waterways, creeks, and  neighborhoods throughout the state. This litter, mostly comprised of cigarette butts, food containers, and bottle caps and lids, clogs our waterways, gets into the sewer systems, harms wildlife, and contributes to a growing marine debris problem.
Cleanups are held all over San Mateo County at beaches, creeks, waterways, parks and neighborhoods.
Families are encouraged to bring their children, as this family-friendly event is a great opportunity to learn about litter and how to prevent it from ending up in our local streets and waterways.
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SBSA Commission
John D. Seybert, 
Redwood City Council
George Otte,
 West Bay Sanitary District Board
Robert Grassilli,
San Carlos City Council Mayor 
Warren Lieberman,
Belmont City Council
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New Task Orders Approved for Teams Assisting SVCW's
With SVCW's Regional Environmental Sewer Conveyance Upgrade Program (RESCU) stepping up its activities with Front of the Plant construction and gravity pipeline preparation, the Commission has approved new tasks with four key consulting firms.
RESCU incorporates conveyance system improvements to transport wastewater from member agencies to the SVCW wastewater treatment plant at 1400 Radio Road in Redwood Shores.
Environmental Planning and Permit Coordination:
Throughout the planning and design phases of the RESCU Program, JHS Consulting has provided oversight of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and environmental permitting consultants, providing a single point of contact for SVCW staff and design consultants to assure compliance with the requirements of CEQA and regulatory agencies. 
With JHS's leadership, SVCW developed the RESCU projects to have limited environmental impacts, resulting in a strong environmental impact report (EIR) and positive interactions with permitting agencies. In April 2017, the Commission certified the EIR for the RESCU Program and adopted a mitigation monitoring plan (MMP) detailed in the EIR.
During the construction phase of the project, JHS Consulting will provide oversight to ensure compliance with the EIR and permits, advise on the potential impacts of any proposed changes to the design, and ensure that the MMP is being followed.
EIR Mitigation Monitoring:
David J. Powers and Associates were the authors of the EIR and the mitigation monitoring plan. With field work beginning on the RESCU projects, now it is necessary to implement the MMP.  While most of the responsibilities for implementing the MMP are the design-build entities, SVCW is required to verify and document that the mitigations are being completed. SVCW's environmental consultant, David J. Powers and Associates, will perform these tasks.
Financial Loan Application and Compliance:
West Yost Associates has expertise in the California State Revolving Fund (SRF) loan processes and has been assisting SVCW with SRF applications and compliance matters. To date, SVCW has secured approximately $60 million from three SRF loans. 
Currently SVCW anticipates receiving an additional $141 million in SRF loans and is pursuing a $172 million Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loan administered by the Environmental Protection Agency. If successful, the lower interest rates and favorable structures of these two loan programs could reduce financing costs by an estimated $50 million net present value over their amortization periods.
Design-Build Legal Contracting:
The Commission authorized a legal services agreement with the law firm of Hanson Bridgett for services related to public works contracting and construction legal services in June 2016. Hanson Bridgett has specialized in public agency law for more than 50 years and has expertise in alternative project delivery. The firm developed SVCW's RESCU design-build contract documents and will continue their legal counsel as the projects advance. 
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San Carlos and Menlo Park Pump Station Valve Improvements
D.W. Nicholson Corporation has been awarded a $334,600 contract for pump station valve replacement projects at the San Carlos and Menlo Park pump stations.
SVCW's maintenance division identified valves in these pump stations that require replacement in advance of the larger pump station rehabilitation projects that are part of SVCW's Regional
Environmental Sewer Conveyance Upgrade Program (RESCU)
. The RESCU program is scheduled to be complete in 2024 which means the existing pump stations need to remain operational for an additional six years.
All pump stations are in varying condition, ranging from poor to very poor. Besides Menlo Park and San Carlos, these include Redwood City and Belmont. Despite systemwide repairs and regular maintenance, the pump stations need replacement to provide safe and reliable operation and to accommodate the future projected flows through the system. Each pump station is at least 35 to 46 years old, well beyond the 15-year useful life for the mechanical and electrical components and approaching the life of the concrete structure. In most instances the condition of the equipment has degraded to the extent that the systems require extensive maintenance to ensure functionality and reliability.
SVCW has issued requests for qualifications to entities that would both design and build the pump station and force main projects. It's anticipated that a successful firm will be selected in February 2019. Construction of the projects will occur between 2020-2023.
But in the meantime, the San Carlos and Menlo Park pump stations valve improvements are required to keep the stations functional until then.
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Should I Flush It? Most Often, the Answer Is No
(Article from the New York Times)
It might seem harmless at first: a thread of dental floss tossed in the toilet, a contact lens swirling down the drain of the bathroom sink. But even the tiniest of items can contaminate waterways.
The small fragments of plastic contact lenses are believed to be contributing to the growing problem of
microplastic pollution. Pharmaceuticals, which are also frequently flushed down the drain, have been found
in our drinking water, and the consequences are not fully known.
Larger products like wipes and tampons are also clogging sewer systems, resulting in billions of dollars in maintenance and repair costs.
Wondering what's safe to flush or wash down the drain? We spoke with several wastewater management experts who explained why many frequently disposed items belong in a garbage can, not the toilet.
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