West Bay Sanitary District provides wastewater collection and conveyance services to Menlo Park, Atherton, and Portola Valley, and areas of East Palo Alto, Woodside and unincorporated San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. The District conveys raw wastewater, via the Menlo Park Pump Station and force main, to South Bayside Systems Authority (SBSA) for treatment and discharge to the San Francisco Bay.

For service questions, complaints, or inquiries about their sewer projects and pump facilities, please visit http://www.westbaysanitary.org, call (650) 321-0384, or email at info@westbaysanitary.org.

For questions relating to septic systems, please refer to San Mateo County Environmental Health or call (650) 372-6200.

Public Storm drains are maintained by the Town's maintenance staff. The Town has 350 drainage inlets that must be maintained to convey water through miles of ditches and pipes into the creeks flowing to San Francisco Bay. 

Storm drain inlets are cleaned at least once a year before the rainy season.

If you feel an additional cleaning may be necessary or to report a clogged or overflowing storm drain, please contact the Public Works Maintenance Division  using PV Connect.

Difference between Sewers & Storm Drains

When it comes to waste disposal, it is very important to know the difference between a sanitary sewer drain and the storm drain.

Sewer drains receive water that flows from showers, sinks, and toilets and is conveyed to the treatment plants. After a thorough treatment process, water is discharged into the San Francisco Bay. The sewer system is operated by West Bay Sanitary District at 650-321-0384. Septic Systems are under the jurisdiction of San Mateo County Environmental Health at 650-372-6200.

Storm drains are found outdoors. For example, inlets are located on the sides of streets. This water is not treated before it reaches the San Francisco Bay. Thus any trash placed in the street can flow into a storm drain and eventually be found in the bay. Public storm drains are maintained by the Town.

Stormwater enters storm drains and flows directly into nearby creeks, rivers, and the San Francisco Bay. That is why it is important to avoid dumping items such as pesticides, paint, detergents, chemicals, and debris into storm drains. When these pollutants go into the storm drain, they can damage our local environment. More information can be found at https://www.flowstobay.org/

Do not empty swimming pool water, filter backwash, or wastes from acid washing, plastering, or grout into storm drains. Instead dispose of pool water in the sanitary sewer through a clean out, a laundry sink, or other plumbing fixture. (Swimming pool water can only enter a storm drain if it has been dechlorinated after a long period of time.)

Dispose of unwanted pool chemicals properly. Many are hazardous waste and should be discarded appropriately. Contact Rethink Waste at 800-449-7587 for more information.

 

Through the San Mateo Countywide Stormwater Pollution Program (SMCWPP), the Town is participating in a Bay Area-wide campaign to raise awareness about employing principles of IPM (Integrated Pest Management) to help protect our local creeks and waterways. The Towns modal IPM policy is here.