Mercury, a potent neurotoxin, is one of twelve toxic pollutants identified through the Federal Clean Water Act as impairing San Francisco Bay (Bay).  Since 1994, State Health Officials have issued a fish consumption advisory to alert local subsistence fishers of the mercury hazards.  The San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board is developing a Total Maximum Daily Loading (TMDL), which includes actions to restore the Bay to beneficial uses, including sport and subsistence fishing. The TMDL will define how much mercury the Bay can tolerate and still meet its water quality standards.   

In response to the problem, EBMUD is developing an aggressive source control/pollution prevention program to control known mercury sources that discharge to the sanitary sewer, and subsequently EBMUD’s wastewater treatment plant.  Known sources include dental offices, educational institutions, medical facilities, and residential households.  Currently EBMUD is permitting all dental offices within its wastewater service area.  Dental offices that handle amalgam are required to install ISO certified amalgam separators to remove mercury waste from the wastewater discharge to the sanitary sewer. 

EBMUD and the University of California (UC) conducted a joint, partially EPA-grant funded, Mercury Reduction Program at the UC Berkeley campus.  Mercury-containing laboratory thermometers and large mercury-containing devices were replaced with non-mercury alternatives, resulting in the removal of over 1,200 pounds of mercury waste.  EBMUD developed a template based on the program’s findings to encourage other agencies to implement a similar program in their service area.  Currently EBMUD is implementing the program at all second and third level educational institutions within its wastewater service area.

EBMUD periodically holds residential mercury thermometer exchange events, where local residents can bring their mercury fever thermometer and exchange it for a non-mercury alternative.  Please contact us on-line or call (510) 287-1651 for more information.