2019

As fall winds down and winter revs up, EBMUD is preparing for our wettest months of the year. Rain or shine, 24/7, the folks at EBMUD’s Main Wastewater Treatment Plant make sure that wastewater collected from communities in the East Bay is treated so it’s safe to release to San Francisco Bay. During dry months, EBMUD handles about 50 million gallons of wastewater a day — removing solids and other contaminants. In rainy months, the amount of wastewater that pours into EBMUD’s Main Wastewater…

EBMUD is more than a water agency. As stewards of our environment, EBMUD also produces renewable energy. We do it at both ends of the water cycle, from snowflake to bay. In the Sierra Nevada foothills, EBMUD’s Pardee Dam Power House churns millions of gallons of water through turbines daily as we release it from Pardee Reservoir to Camanche Reservoir. Camanche Power House also generates renewable energy as we release water into the Mokelumne River. The turbines are connected to generators, which…

California has it all — mountains, beaches, deserts and forests. It also has earthquakes, storms, wildfires and power outages. Don’t let an emergency force you to go thirsty. Every resident in the Bay Area should have emergency water. Recovery of the public water system after an emergency may take much longer than a week. Your emergency supply should get you through the immediate aftermath so you can focus on other needs. You need at least two gallons per person per day for seven days minimum.…

Wildfire used to be a threat only in hot, dry months, and in wooded regions. Now, wildfire season is much longer and far-reaching.

The rainy season has finally passed and we’re now ready for sunshine and heat. In the summer months, water use can skyrocket as people turn to hoses, showers and pools to cool off.

As a public, not-for-profit government agency, the EBMUD $2.3 billion budget protects the East Bay’s extensive water system that serves 1.4 million people, and a wastewater system that serves 685,000 people, every day.

EBMUD processes about 56 million gallons of wastewater every day for 685,000 customers from Richmond to San Leandro.

Water lines are life lines and their resilience affects our recovery after disaster. The Bay Area underground terrain is quite complex. EBMUD’s water lines are buried in bayside soils, which can liquefy in earthquakes; they pass through tree-lined hillsides, which are subject to landslide and wildfire; and cross fault lines, where earth movement can tear them apart.

Throughout history, civilization has withstood earthquakes, severe storms, floods, landslides and wildfires. Even when we are prepared, emergencies can leave us with little more than our lives. However, preparing for emergencies can mean the difference between feeling strong and feeling helpless.

The ground beneath us sustains everything we can see. We walk, run, and drive on it every day. Our houses, gardens, stores, and schools are all built on it. But the surfaces of pavement and earth block our view of what’s below: a complex, intricate network of infrastructure that brings water to our 1.4 million East Bay customers every single day.

This past year, EBMUD and partners in the Sierra Nevada foothills accomplished a rarity. Together, with leaders in state government, 37 miles of the Mokelumne River became the newest entry into the California Wild and Scenic River system.