Protecting Our San Francisco Bay

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in collaboration with the California Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) is spearheading an effort to keep the Bay clean. The EPA and RWQCB are requiring the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD), six East Bay cities, and one sewer district to fix old, cracked sanitary sewer pipes to ensure they don't allow the infiltration of rainwater which can overwhelm wastewater treatment facilities, resulting in untreated or partially treated sewage being released into the Bay. As a result, EBMUD and its partners have phased in a Regional Private Sewer Lateral (PSL) Ordinance in some east bay communities. Affected property owners will be required to obtain a certificate from EBMUD indicating that their PSLs are without defects and have proper connections.

Effective Areas

Use the map (right) as a guide to determine if your property is covered by the Regional PSL Ordinance. Only EBMUD wastewater customers in the green shaded areas are affected.

Note: The cities of Alameda, Albany, and Berkeley are operating their own separate programs. If your property is within one of these cities, please contact them to determine your requirements.

Program Start Dates

The Regional PSL Program start dates are listed below. The program is effective for escrows, building/remodel permits, or water service applications opened on or after the program start date in each community.

Emeryville and Piedmont	Aug 22, 2011
Stege Sanitary District	Oct 17, 2011
Oakland	Jan 16, 2012

Neighborhood Meetings: EBMUD, the EPA and municipal officials held neighborhood meetings to inform residents of the ordinance and assist with compliance. Meetings were held in Emeryville, Oakland, Piedmont and Stege Sanitary District (serving El Cerrito, Kensington and Richmond Annex). You may view a copy of the most recent presentation.

Regional PSL Ordinance Triggers

The Regional PSL Ordinance applies ONLY if you are buying or selling a property, building or remodeling in excess of $100,000, or changing the size of your water meter. Additionally, you may voluntarily have your PSL certified to be in compliance with the Regional PSL Ordinance when you are having work performed on the lateral without meeting any of the triggers.

PSL Exemptions from the Ordinance Triggers

Your PSL is exempt if it was fully replaced within the last 10 years and you can provide valid evidence of the PSL replacement date. Follow the Guidelines for Exemption to obtain an exemption for your property.

Complying with the Regional PSL Ordinance

To receive a Compliance Certificate for your property demonstrating that all of the PSLs located on the property are without leaks and have proper connections, proceed to the guidelines and select the condition which applies to you.

Generally, to receive a Compliance Certificate, the following steps will be taken:

• Hire a contractor to inspect your PSL. Commonly, this consists of a closed-circuit television (CCTV) inspection allowing for the contractor and you to visually see the condition of your PSL, including instances of offset joints, root intrustion and cracked or broken pipe segments which would prevent your PSL from passing the verification test.
  
  Note: A copy of the CCTV inspection is NOT sufficient proof for obtaining a Compliance Certificate. A Compliance Certificate is only granted after passing a verification test.
  
  
• If necessary, have your PSL repaired or replaced.
• Schedule a compliance test with EBMUD.
  Your contractor will set-up and administer the verification test per the provided guidelines. EBMUD will witness the test and to confirm that your PSL is free of leaks.
• If your lateral does not pass the verification test, additional work will be required on your PSL. The verification test must be rescheduled with EBMUD.
• If your lateral is free of leaks, a Compliance Certificate will be available for your shortly thereafter.
• Download and print your Compliance Certificate.