2024

EBMUD treats the wastewater you send down your drains to protect the San Francisco Bay. But when winter storms arrive, water in saturated soil can seep through cracks in aging private and public sewer pipes that lead to our Wastewater Treatment Plant. Average wastewater flows can spike dramatically during heavy rains – from about 50 million gallons to 500 million gallons a day! That can overwhelm our systems and lead to partially untreated sewage spills.

EBMUD provides safe and affordable water for all of our 1.4 million customers. Our high-quality water costs just over a penny a gallon, but we know even modest rates can be a financial challenge to some. That’s why we proudly offer an industry-leading Customer Assistance Program (CAP) and other opportunities to help you manage your bill.

With wildfire season upon us, EBMUD is on alert for emergencies that could threaten critical infrastructure, harm watershed lands and damage water quality.

Imagine a devastating earthquake along the Hayward Fault, directly beneath our East Bay communities. Violent shaking leads to casualties, fires, and severe damage to buildings, roads and regional infrastructure. In the aftermath, power lines are down, communication is interrupted, and you find yourself with limited access to water during an extensive rebuilding period.

We love hands-on learning – observing things up close, asking questions, conducting experiments, collaborating with experts. And when it comes to the world of water, there is so much to explore.

EBMUD’s water supply is in good shape this year as snowmelt from last winter’s storms topped off Pardee Reservoir in the Sierra Nevada foothills. But we know another drought could be right around the corner. To be ready for whatever comes next, Californians need to make wise water use a consistent way of life.

Bald eagles, once dangerously close to extinction, have demonstrated remarkable resilience over the past several decades. EBMUD watersheds provide critical habitat for these majestic raptors, and we’re happy to report growing numbers in the East Bay and the Sierra Nevada foothills.

Every day, waste from nearly 740,000 East Bay residents and businesses flows into EBMUD’s Wastewater Treatment Plant where it is treated before it’s discharged to the San Francisco Bay.

Climate change can affect every aspect of EBMUD’s work, from the resilience of our water supply to the health of the lands we manage.

The home stretch of California’s rainy season is upon us, and our eyes are on the sky. We’re tracking weather patterns, measuring rainfall and snowpack, and forecasting the runoff we expect to capture in our reservoirs.

Salmon are jumping and records are breaking at EBMUD’s Mokelumne River Hatchery at the base of Camanche Dam. This year’s fall run of spawning Chinook salmon crossed the 20,000 mark for the first time since data collection began on the Mokelumne in 1940, surpassing the previous record of 19,962 set in 2017.

Rainfall refreshes our watersheds and replenishes our reservoirs. But winter storms also pose unique challenges to the robust wastewater treatment EBMUD provides to protect the health of San Francisco Bay. Fortunately, we’re at the ready, rain or shine.