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.
The climate is changing, and with it, droughts can become more severe. Regulations that govern water supply are changing too. As a leader in sustainability, EBMUD is at the forefront of planning for an uncertain future by diversifying our water supply portfolio.
What would you give for a hot shower, clean hands, or a tall glass of water? What would you give for a clean kitchen or fresh water to brush your teeth? If you could turn on the faucet for another, would you?
We take our mission seriously – that means we need a skilled workforce to deliver water and manage wastewater in the future. While we manage our day-to-day operations, we also invest time and effort in building the next generation of EBMUD workers.
Stand by the Bay, take in the views, watch the waves. Every day, EBMUD manages watershed lands and thousands of pipes delivering clean water to your homes. Once you use this water in your sinks, showers, and toilets, EBMUD makes sure it is cleaned again since all water in the East Bay ultimately flows to San Francisco Bay. We work hard to protect this jewel but can’t do it alone. We rely on our employees, our partners and you.
With 4,200 miles of pipe and hundreds of facilities working full time, the effort to maintain and upgrade our infrastructure is nonstop. We have been hard at work this spring improving our Sobrante and Upper San Leandro water treatment plants, the Lafayette Aqueducts that feed them, upgrading local tanks and reservoirs and replacing those pipes that bring water to you.
