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Sewer- The sewer or sanitary sewer is the pipe that transports wastewater from toilets, tubs and sinks. When your toilet is flushed or the dishes cleaned the water enters the sewer and flows to the wastewater treatment plant. Most of these drains are located inside your home or business. At the plant, the wastewater goes through many processes to remove contaminants before being discharged into the ocean.

 

Storm Drain- The storm drain is the drain found outside your home or business. Those are the drain inlets or catch basins, you see at the end of the street/gutter. They are stenciled with the signage, "NO DUMPING, FLOWS TO BAY/OCEAN" They covey rainwater directly to the ocean and bay, untreated. That's why it is so important to prevent anything but rain from entering the storm drain!

Call the Streets Department at 650-991-8097.

Never pour household hazardous waste down the storm drain in your street. Stormwater runoff flows directly to the ocean or bay, carrying with it whatever pollutants were added.

 

If you have hazardous wastes in your home that you would like to dispose of, don't throw it away, call the Household Hazardous Waste Program for San Mateo County residents at 650-363-4718.