Wastewater

Sewer Spill Reduction Program

• Sewer Spill Reduction Program Home
• Televising Sewer Lines
• Canyon Cleaning and Maintenance
  • All Surface Vehicles and GPS
  • Volunteer Canyon Watchers Program
• Grease Disposal Program
• Preventing Sewer Spills
• Sewer Spill Statistics

Canyon Cleaning and Maintenance

Volunteer Canyon Watchers Program

Physical inspection of canyons is another way to prevent sewer spills in our urban canyons. The Wastewater Branch has also partnered with the San Diego Police Department to utilize police helicopters to patrol canyon areas after significant rains. Similarly, the Department uses its Volunteer Canyon Watchers to report any indications of real or potential canyon sewer spills observed during recreational hikes through our urban canyons.

Complete a Canyon Watchers Field Report Form

When a sewer spill occurs in a street or on private property, that spill is usually reported to the Wastewater Branch within minutes. In a canyon, such a spill may go undetected for days.

If while on your canyon walk you see...

• sewage or a foamy discharge spilling from a manhole;
• sewage flowing down a canyon;
• a damaged or vandalized manhole;
• an exposed sewer pipe; or
• an unsecured manhole - one without a cross bar or recessed bolts