Some topical treatments (including sprays and spot-on treatments applied to your pet’s back near the neck) can be harmful to the environment because of their environmental persistence and toxicity.

Topical treatments, including spot-on treatments, can quickly spread around your home by rubbing off onto your hands, floors, furniture, bedding, and clothes. That means the pesticides have multiple pathways to make it down the drain and into the sanitary sewer from washing hands, pets, clothing, bedding, or anything else that comes in contact with your pets.

Because the topical treatments can spread quickly around your home, pet owners are also easily exposed to these chemicals through accidental physical contact and/or ingestion. The California Department of Pesticide Regulations (DPR) is investigating pesticides in some topical flea and tick treatments, including fipronil and imidacloprid, to re-evaluate the human health risks associated with these chemicals.

For information on the DPR evaluation of fipronil.

For information on the DPR evaluation of imidacloprid.

When used according to directions, these products are generally safe for pets. However, these products should not be ingested by pets, as this is harmful to their health. We recommend consulting your vet about specific concerns you may have about your pet’s health and the best course of flea and tick treatment and prevention for your individual pet and your household.

Studies that have tested how well “waterproof” spot-on and flea collar treatments stay on pets have found that these treatments will still partially wash off with bathing (up to 28 days after treatment) and from washing of hands, clothing and bedding by the pet owner after applying the treatment. 

The main ingredients from spot-ons and flea collars can be detected in rinse water, on the people that touch the animal, and around the home long after application. These all provide pathways for the ingredients to go down the drain and pass through our wastewater treatment systems into the Bay.

Oral treatments act systemically (throughout the whole body), while some topical treatments, including those that contain fipronil or imidacloprid, act only on the surface of the pet’s skin through direct contact with fleas and ticks.

Some oral medications last up to 12 weeks and protect your pet from a wide range of external and internal parasites.

Many oral medications are flavored chewables that are easier and tidier to administer than topical treatments.

Just like any medication, there is always a risk for adverse reactions. Always talk with your vet about the best option for your pet and your household.

Frequently vacuum floors, carpets, rugs, furniture and other surfaces the pet regularly touches.

Wash pet bedding frequently and clean furniture thoroughly.

Use a flea comb or wash pet with pyrethrin-based flea shampoos or dips

IPM means using a variety of methods to combat fleas at all their life stages, including medication to treat adult fleas on the pet and mechanical or cleaning controls to remove flea eggs, larvae and pupae from the home environment.

Frequent vacuuming and other cleaning measures, in addition to pet medication, are the best way to get rid of fleas and prevent or minimize re-infestations. Medication alone is not enough.

For more information on IPM, visit: https://www.sanjoseca.gov/your-government/departments-offices/environmental-services/homes-green-tips-resources/gardening-composting/pesticides-and-integrated-pest-management-ipm

There are a wide variety of treatments and prices for treatment. The cheapest option for prevention is to maintain a clean household and wash your pets and pet bedding regularly. If your pet gets fleas, you can cheaply incorporate sprays or shampoos (that contain pyrethrins, not pyrethroids) along with flea combs to manage an infestation.

The next level of prevention would include collars, spot-on treatments and oral medications. While collars are the cheapest option, they tend to work locally, leaving hindquarters more vulnerable. In addition, if your pet has regular contact with children or other animals, the chemicals in collars can be ingested and are potentially dangerous or toxic.

Spot-on and oral treatments have a wide range of price points, but they are generally $20-$50/month. Some require a prescription, and the cost of a vet visit is not incorporated into these estimates. If you choose this type of prevention, we recommend oral options over spot-on for reasons of environmental health and potential toxicity.

San José’s Foam Food Container Ordinance aims to reduce a pervasive and persistent type of litter by banning food service ware made from expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam. EPS foam is uniquely problematic when littered because it does not degrade. It breaks easily into tiny pieces, making it difficult to clean up. Those small pieces are often mistaken as food by fish and wildlife and are harmful to their health.

Litter impacts our communities and threatens water quality and wildlife in our local creeks and Bay. In 2009, 26 creeks in the Bay Area, including Guadalupe River and Coyote Creek in San José, were declared as impaired by trash by the State Water Resources Control Board. Since the ban was fully implemented, a 2015-2016 study by the Santa Clara Valley Urban Runoff Pollution Prevention Program suggests that the EPS ban has significantly reduced the volume of foam food service ware in the stormwater system.

• Foam Food Container Ordinance

This ordinance aims to reduce a pervasive and persistent type of litter by banning food service ware made from expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam. EPS foam is uniquely problematic when littered because it does not degrade. It breaks easily into tiny pieces, making it difficult to clean up. Those small pieces are often mistaken as food by fish and wildlife and are harmful to their health.

Paper, other natural fibers, and rigid plastic do not present the same kind of litter problem for our creeks. Paper and natural fibers degrade and, thus, are not persistent in the environment. Rigid plastic is recyclable and highly durable but does not break apart the way EPS does.

Reducing the use of EPS foam food service ware will decrease the amount of this pollutant in our environment.

In San José, all food service establishments are prohibited from using foam food service ware. This includes restaurants, delis, cafes, cafeterias, caterers, bars, pubs, supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores, liquor stores, mobile and street food vendors, and food kiosks.

All EPS food service ware is banned for both dine-in and takeout. This includes: cups, bowls, plates, boxes, deli containers, clam shells, and trays.

The first phase of the ordinance went into effect for multi-state restaurant chains on January 1, 2014. The second and final phase went into effect for all food service establishments on January 1, 2015.

The ordinance does not apply to non-profits, public schools, and other State and Federal agencies. The ordinance allows San José restaurants with gross incomes under $300,000 to apply for a financial hardship exemption. Additionally, if a restaurant requires a type of packaging that is unavailable in any other kind of material they may apply for a unique packaging exemption.

• Exemption Form

There are many alternatives to EPS. Some are paper or rigid plastic, and others are made of organic materials such as corn, potato or sugar cane fiber. Restaurant supply stores and common retail stores carry alternative products. As a courtesy, the City has developed a list of alternatives and vendors.

Restaurants can reduce waste and cut costs by using reusable food service ware, such as metal cutlery for dine-in.

Costs will depend on location, type of product, and volume of your purchase. Most products are competitively priced. In some cases, paper and rigid plastic can be less expensive than EPS.

To cut costs, restaurants can switch to a cheaper type of food container. For example, a paper plate may work in place of a more expensive clam shell for dine-in. Restaurants can also reduce waste and cut costs by using reusable food service ware, such as metal cutlery for dine-in.

Additionally, restaurants can join cooperative organizations to purchase in bulk, which can decrease costs.

• Foam Food Container Alternatives and Pricing

City inspectors are currently enforcing City ordinances related to trash management, littering, and illegal dumping. We will continue to enforce litter laws and trash management requirements by working with residents, businesses, and trash haulers to ensure that everyone is subscribing to an appropriate level of recycling and garbage service and that trash is properly stored, collected, and transported to recycling centers or landfills.

The City has a comprehensive plan to reduce trash and litter. The plan includes: preventing trash before it becomes litter, intercepting litter before it reaches our creeks, and cleaning our creeks. Reducing litter at the source, such as with product bans, prevents trash from becoming litter. Large Trash Capture Device Video.

San José is nationally recognized for having one of the most innovative recycling programs. The City and its partner recycling companies have made several attempts to include EPS recycling in the City’s recycling program; however, there are no effective and efficient ways to recycle EPS. This is due to the low market value of the material and the high rate of food contamination, which makes it difficult to recycle.

In addition to San José, 110 California cities, counties, and local agencies have adopted EPS bans according to Californians Against Waste. Californians Against Waste.

On January 1, 2012 all grocery, pharmacy, and retail stores were no longer be allowed to provide single-use plastic carry-out bags at checkout. Retailers may provide a paper bag made of 40% post-consumer recycled content for a minimum of 10 cents each upon checkout.

Start shopping with a reusable bag now. Keep reusable bags by your door, in your car, or near your keys. Keep foldable bags in pockets, backpacks, or your purse.

Grocery stores and other retailers in the United States annually provide 38 billion single-use paper and plastic carryout bags to their customers. While many of the bags do get recycled, many more are disposed of as trash and many find their way into creeks, rivers, oceans, and highways as unsightly litter. These bags represent an unnecessary waste of resources that can easily be avoided through the use of reusable bags.

In San José, the Guadalupe River, Coyote Creek and Silver Creek will likely be declared ‘impaired by trash’, and thereby in violation of the federal Clean Water Act. San José and other Bay Area cities will be required to reduce litter in waterways in order to comply with state and federal regulations. Plastic bags are one source of plastic litter with a simple alternative – a reusable bag.

Banning plastic bags alone has the direct effect of encouraging the use of paper bags. Paper bags are not necessarily better, they require much more energy and water to produce and require the cutting of trees to manufacture.

All grocery, pharmacy and retail stores, large and small, have to comply with the ordinance.

Most grocery stores currently offer an incentive. While admirable, these programs have not significantly reduced the number of plastic bags consumed.

California law currently requires all large stores to provide in-store opportunities for bag recycling. However, only a small fraction of the plastic bags are recycled, many more end up in landfills.

San José is no longer accepting plastic bags in curbside recycling. They jam sorting equipment causing costly shutdowns to machinery. Instead San José is encouraging residents to take plastic bags back to the stores for recycling.

Biodegradable plastic bags still encourage the use of disposable bags.

Yes. This ordinance does not affect the sale and purchase of plastic garbage bag liners.

Catalog Choice is a nonprofit organization that provides residents and businesses with a convenient junk mail opt-out service. It is the nation's largest preference and privacy portal, serving more than 1.3 million members and 8,000 direct marketing companies.

Catalog Choice is supported by grants and tax-deductible donations.

Consumers have better environmentally friendly options to reach businesses, including:

• Registering for businesses’ email updates/newsletters
• Visiting businesses’ websites and social media sites
• Downloading businesses’ mobile apps

There is no charge for a Catalog Choice account. Any person can sign up for a free Catalog Choice Account.

Catalog Choice asks for the person’s:

• Full name
• Mailing address(es)
• Email address

Visit the website: www.CatalogChoice.org.

Visit San Jose Recycles to learn what's recyclable.

Residents in homes and mobile home parks can have large items/junk (such as mattresses, sofas, refrigerators, tires, and more) collected curbside for free by their recycling collection company. Residents can schedule unlimited junk pickups for free. Schedule a pickup by calling your recycling collection company directly. To find your recycling collection company, use the Residential Services Lookup. Apartment and condominium residents can contact their property managers or GreenTeam of San Jose at (408) 282-4400 to arrange for free pickups. Click here to learn more about our free junk pickup service.

Find your garbage, recycling, and yard trimmings collection day, street sweeping schedule, neighborhood cleanup event, or service provider contact information by calling (408) 535-3500 or simply by entering your street number and zip code into the Residential Services Lookup.

All the garbage collected in San José is sent to a mixed waste materials recovery facility to recover organic materials for composting. That means food waste and organic materials that are put in the garbage are composted without being separated by residents, and none of this material goes straight to the landfill. Compost made from recovered organic material in residential garbage is used for landscape and median projects.

Even though food waste is composted in San José, it’s still important to avoid wasting food in the first place. Click here to get food waste reduction tips and tricks.

Click here to visit our Rates & Billing page.

Collection occurs on all holidays except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. If these holidays occur Monday through Friday, collection will be one day later throughout the rest of that week.

Four companies help the City to collect your garbage, recycling, and yard trimmings. Find your service provider contact information by calling (408) 535-3500 or by simply entering your street number and zip code into the Residential Services Lookup.

Click here to visit our Motor Oil page for more information.

Contact your collection company directly to change the size of your cart. Click here to visit our Cart Order page for more information.

Contact your collection company directly to repair or replace a broken, damaged or stolen cart. Look up your collection company and find contact information with the Residential Services Lookup.

Collection times are 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on your collection day. If your garbage, recycling or yard trimmings aren’t picked up by 6:00 p.m., contact the specific collection company directly.

If you put your garbage and recycling out after collection has occurred, you will have to wait until the following week for pick up on your next collection day. Click here to learn how to handle extra garbage and recyclables.

For your collection company contact information, use the Residential Services Lookup.

You may buy extra garbage stickers for $6.25 at all San José libraries, Lucky, and Safeway stores in San José or at the Customer Service Center on the first floor of San José City Hall. A portion of the sales from stickers sold at San José libraries supports library programs. Remember to place extra garbage in a 32-gallon plastic garbage bag labeled with an extra garbage sticker on the curb near the garbage cart.

California has mandated, through the At-Store Recycling Program, that plastic carryout bag recycling drop-off bins be made available at all regulated supermarkets and large retail stores with a pharmacy.

Many grocery stores and retailers accept clean plastic bags for recycling in San José, including:

• Supermarkets: Lucky, Safeway, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Nob Hill, Lunardi’s
• Retail stores: Target, Wal Mart, Lowe’s, Best Buy
• Drug store/pharmacies: CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid

Visit our Recycling & Garbage page for information on large items, household hazardous waste, motor oil, electronics, and medicines.

San José residents can call the Recycle Hotline at (408) 924-5453 to find out where to take unusual or hard to recycle items not accepted in recycling or garbage containers, or use the online search tool by city and zip code at www.recyclestuff.us. It’s always recommended that residents call the companies listed in advance to ensure that the information is current.

All residential yard trimmings are composted in San José. They are collected and processed through a separate system from other waste. Compost made from yard trimmings is commonly used for local agriculture.

Most San José residents subscribe to loose-in-the-street yard trimmings collection. It’s important to keep food scraps out of this pile to avoid attracting rodents. Additionally, compost created from yard trimmings has different applications than that from food scraps so it’s best to keep them separate.

The Santa Clara County Composting Education Program offers free composting workshops.

At this time, the Regional Wastewater Facility does not have the capacity to offer special group tours.

At this time, the Regional Wastewater Facility does not have the capacity to offer special group tours.

School groups are also encouraged to contact the Regional Wastewater Facility’s neighbor, the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge by phone (408-262-5513, extension 102) or email (livingwetlands@sfbws.com) to schedule a field trip.

At this time, we are not able to offer group tours due to lack of program funding and staff capacity.

You can download all Best Practices for Dental Offices (zipped file).

Under Section 303(d) of the Federal Clean Water Act, states are required to develop a list of water bodies with water quality impairments. The water bodies on the list do not meet water quality standards. San Francisco Bay is listed with 12 toxic pollutants including mercury. Because of mercury impairment, fish consumption advisories have been issued for San Francisco Bay.

The California Regional Water Quality Control Board, San Francisco Bay Region (Regional Board) issues the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit (NPDES Permit) for wastewater treatment plants. The NPDES Permit requires compliance with wastewater discharge limitations for pollutants, including mercury.

The San Francisco Bay Mercury TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load), which was recently approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Regional Board, requires the Plant to develop and implement an aggressive source control and pollution prevention program to comply with new mercury limits and to maximize the Plant’s control over mercury sources impairing the San Francisco Bay. Studies have shown that approximately 61% of the mercury entering the San José-Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility is from dental practices.

In addition, U.S. EPA's Section 503 Sludge Regulations and state and local biosolids regulations require the Plant to meet concentration limits for heavy metals, including mercury. These regulations ensure that biosolids can be safely reused for land application and landfill cover.

Wastewater treatment plants are designed to treat wastewater containing conventional pollutants such as human and food waste. Heavy metals, including mercury, are not completely removed by the treatment process. As a result, some mercury remains in the treated wastewater discharged to the South San Francisco Bay or in the biosolids, which are used for landfill cover.

Sampling will not be required. Installation and maintenance of an amalgam separator and adherence to the proposed Best Management Practices is intended to determine compliance with the permit. If an inspector finds that an individual dental practice is improperly maintaining the amalgam separator, sampling may be performed to document the condition.

We may initiate a program to sample sewer lines outside dental offices to determine overall effectiveness of the dental program to reduce mercury in the sanitary sewer system. And we continue to sample the Plant’s influent, effluent, and biosolids for mercury.

Under the proposed program, submittal of self-certifications that an amalgam separator has been installed and is being properly maintained will determine initial compliance. Scheduled inspections will take place at each dental practice no less than once during the five-year permit. Inspectors will review waste records, compliance with BMPs, amalgam separator maintenance, waste storage and disposal practices, etc., in order to determine compliance with the dental permit conditions.

A fine may be assessed if non-compliance is not corrected after a process of verbal warnings and written warnings has been concluded.

Red bag waste may require incineration. Incinerated mercury volatilizes and becomes an air pollutant. Through air deposition, it also may eventually end up in surface water. If the amalgam is disposed of with other garbage, the mercury may end up in the landfill leachate, which may eventually contaminate groundwater or surface water.

Not all of the scrap amalgam and particulates are captured by the chair-side traps and vacuum filters. Grinding, drilling, and polishing of amalgam fillings may result in the production of fine particulate matter that passes through the chair-side traps and vacuum filters. The residual particulates remain in the wastewater discharged to the sanitary sewer. Additionally, mercury may enter the wastewater from instrument washing, and chair-side trap and vacuum filter cleaning. Amalgam separators are designed to capture this form of amalgam from wastewater prior to discharging to the sanitary sewer.

San Francisco Bay has a legacy of mercury contamination from historical mercury mining in the Coast Ranges and gold extraction in the Sierra Nevada. During these mining activities, roughly 10 to 30 percent of all the mercury used was lost to the surrounding watersheds and has since been making its way, attached to sediment particles, into the San Francisco Bay-Delta.

In October of 2008, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released the Final Almaden Quicksilver Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment report detailing five restoration projects within Santa Clara County. These projects, being implemented by the County of Santa Clara Parks and Recreation Department, include the removal of remnant mining waste material, grading to create stable creek banks, stabilizing and hydro-seeding all disturbed areas, and re-vegetation of the creek banks.

The program has close to 100% participation.

No, there is currently no permit fee proposed for the Dental Amalgam Program.

Units that are approved ISO 11143 certified Amalgam Separators.

There is no cost to apply for a Dental Wastewater Discharge Permit.

The cost of amalgam separators varies, but the most popular model currently costs $600-$700 installed. Some amalgam separators can cost more than $2,000. Only one separator will be required per vacuum system, so that cost may be shared among dental practices with a shared vacuum line. If significant plumbing modifications are required to complete the installation of a separator, then the installation cost may be higher.

The estimated cost of additional disposal of amalgam and other wastes is about $200 per year.

Sampling will not be required. Installation and maintenance of an amalgam separator and adherence to the proposed Best Management Practices is intended to determine compliance with the permit.

Please call the appropriate water retailer which serves the area where the problem occurs. If the water retailer is known, you can call the following phone numbers:

• San Jose Municipal Water System (408) 535-3500
• San Jose Water Company (408) 279-7900
• Great Oaks Water Company (408) 879-8246

If you don't know the water retailer for the area where the problem occurs, call (408) 535-3500.

Most buildings have a "house valve" which allows the water to the building to be shut off. The house valve is normally located at the front of the building usually near a hose bib. Look for a pipe coming out of the ground and going into the building with a shutoff valve on it. If you cannot find a house valve or the house valve does not work, the water retailer has a valve which it can shut off. You will need to call the water retailer for this. In San Jose Municipal Water System's service area, call (408) 535-3500.

There are several options available to pay your water bill:

• Payment Online with E-Bill Express
• Payment over the phone to a Customer Service Representative
• Payment By Mail
• Payment In Person At The Customer Contact Center, First Floor, City Hall
• Payment Via A Drop Box At City Hall

Click here for more billing information.

Typically, the property owner is responsible for the maintenance of water pipes inside the building and any pipes outside the building down to the meter box by the street. The meter box and meter inside are owned and maintained by the water retailer. If a leak or other problem occurs on the property owner's side of the meter, it is the responsibility of the property owner. If the leak or problem occurs in the meter box or on the street side of the meter, the water retailer is responsible. To report leaks in the meter box or street, call the water retailer serving the area. In San Jose Municipal Water System's area, call (408) 535-3500.

All drinking water naturally contains some fluoride. Community water fluoridation is the process of adjusting the naturally occurring fluoride level to the optimum level for preventing tooth decay. The Evergreen, North San José, and Alviso communities all receive fluoridated water supplies, in which the fluoride levels are maintained within a range of approximately 0.7 to 1.3 parts per million (ppm). For further information on the specific levels of fluoride in your area, please refer to the most recent Water Quality Report.

• Water Quality Report

In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) prescribe regular monitoring requirements for all public water systems. San Jose Municipal Water System performs this testing within our service areas on a routine basis, and will inform you if the water ever fails to meet drinking water standards.

For any additional testing that you may want done on the quality of your water, please contact a private laboratory to assist in taking and analyzing a sample. The USEPA or the SWRCB can provide further guidance on testing your water or selecting a private laboratory.

In the Evergreen, Alviso, and North San José communities, water is disinfected using chloramine. Except for a slight chlorinous taste or odor, chloramine is not harmful to the general public, and is necessary to destroy disease-causing organisms for the protection of public health. To remove the chloramines and the associated odor, fill a pitcher with water and let it sit on the counter or in the refrigerator to allow the chloramine to dissipate.

For other odors or for further guidance, please call the San Jose Municipal Water System’s Engineering section at (408) 277-3671.

One way to determine where the problem is originating is by observing the water at the hose bib closest to your water meter. If the water coming from this location is clear, this indicates that the problem is occurring with the interior plumbing, possibly due to sediment in the pipes or an aging plumbing system. To flush your lines, remove any aerators on your faucets and let the cold water flow until the water is clear again. If the problem persists, a plumber will be able to inspect your plumbing and determine what may be causing the problem.

If the water coming from your hose bib is colored, please call the San Jose Municipal Water System’s Engineering section at (408) 277-3671.

Hardness consists mainly of calcium and magnesium salts. Although it does not pose a health risk, it may be considered undesirable for other reasons. The level of hardness in the water supply varies by service area. For information on the specific hardness levels in your area, please refer to the Water Quality Report. To convert hardness from ppm to grains per gallon, divide by 17.1.

• Water Quality Report

Use Residential Services Lookup to find out who provides water service at your home or business. Click here for water retailers lookup.

Storm drain stenciling is a great way to remind people that storm drains are for clean rain water only. It’s a visual reminder that pollution prevention is important. It also provides a phone number to call to report violations, allowing the City to stop violations as quickly as possible.

Water that flows down driveways and streets into a gutter goes into a storm drain which flows directly to a creek and then to the South San Francisco Bay.

Its purpose is to prevent flooding of streets and highways by quickly and efficiently transferring rain water into creeks, and eventually the South San Francisco Bay.

There are two types of storm drain system fees: the Storm Drain Connection Fee and the Storm Sewer Service Charge.

The Storm Drainage Connection Fee is essentially a one time fee that is assessed when a piece of property is first developed and is based on the type of usage planned for the property. If the property is subsequently redeveloped to a significantly different usage, an additional fee may be assessed. Storm Drainage Connection Fees are calculated and collected by the Department of Public Works.

The Storm Sewer Service Charge is an annual fee paid by owners of residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional properties and is based on the relative quality and quantity of storm water runoff contributed to the storm drain system by their properties.

The annual Storm Sewer Service Charge pays for the operation, maintenance, and improvement of the storm drain system, which includes the pipelines that convey rainfall away from your property as well as associated pump stations and outfalls into the creeks. It also supports environmental protection programs required to meet federal and state water quality permits for protection of the South San Francisco Bay and local streams.

Local ordinances prohibit anything other than uncontaminated rain water from entering the storm drain system. Never pour anything into a gutter, street or storm drain.

Please report localized flooding or clogged storm drains to the City immediately. Call (408) 794-1900 weekdays, between 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and (408) 277-8956 all other times, including weekends and holidays.

When natural materials, such as yard trimmings, break down, oxygen is drawn from the water. In a natural setting the amount of this debris would be limited to the leaves of those plants and trees bordering creeks. However, in our urban setting, leaves and dirt on paved areas throughout the entire City are washed into creeks. A lot of natural debris can ruin the natural balance of the creeks, and harm fish.

In addition, rainwater carries pesticides, car oil and other pollutants from all the paved surfaces directly into the San Francisco Bay. Click here for yard trimmings collection.

Storm water is not collected into one location where it can be cleaned. Instead, it flows through hundreds of separate pipe systems, each emptying into the nearest creek. Preventing pollution at the source is a much more effective and less costly way to prevent storm water pollution.

Call the number on the curb. (408) 945-3000.

Click here to visit the plan checks page for more information.

No, there are no permits or fees involved. There are no fees for the inspections or for the plan check.

You can find Best Practices for Restaurants here.

Your inspection report should have the name of your Environmental Inspector at the bottom. You can call our main number, (408) 945-3000 to reach them.

You should try and confine the spill so it does not go into any storm drains. Contact your property management or a plumber to correct the spill. Spills should be put back into the sanitary sewer. If your spill reaches a storm drain or the street, you should contact your city collection system or call us at (408) 945-3000 and indicate you would like to report a spill or illegal discharge.

Grease traps need to be serviced at least monthly (every 30 days) and grease interceptors need to be serviced at least quarterly (every 90 days). If your business generates heavy loadings of grease then these devices will need to be serviced more frequently.

Fats, Oils, and Grease do not mix with water and have a tendency to separate from water solutions. They stick to sewer pipe walls, creating layers of buildup that restrict and/or block the wastewater flow. This problem requires pipes to be cleaned more frequently and can cause blockages.

FOG can solidify in the sewer pipes and cling to the inner walls. Over time the inside diameter of the pipes gets smaller and smaller and eventually causing a blockage. Sometimes chunks of grease will come loose, from an area and then lodge further downstream. This can also cause a blockage.

A blockage will not allow wastewater to leave your facility. The wastewater then will backup into your facility or house and cause an overflow. Backups into your facility are a health risk. Your business may have to close down until the backup is corrected and the spill area is cleaned up. Backups are costly to repair and can occur at inconvenient times. Blockages can also cause sewage to back up on streets and enter storm drains, endangering public health and the health of our creeks and Bay.

Fats, Oils, and Grease are a normal byproduct of cooking and food preparation processes. Common sources include food scraps, meat fats, cooking oils, lard, baked goods, salad dressings, sauces, marinades, dairy products, shortening, butter, and margarine.

Never pour Fats, Oils and Grease down the sewer. Scrape and wipe food off of dishes and cooking utensils prior to washing, and use strainers in your kitchen sinks and floor drains.

Please report sewer blockages, spills or bad odors to the City immediately. Call (408) 794-1900 weekdays, between 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and (408) 277-8956 all other times, including weekends and holidays. If a blockage exists in the plumbing on private property you must call your property manager or plumber to fix the problem.

The Santa Clara Valley Water District offers rebates to all residents and businesses in Santa Clara County.

Contact your water provider by calling the phone number on your water bill. Or call the Santa Clara Valley Water District's Water Conservation Hotline at (408) 265-2607, ext. 2554.

Chapter 15.10 of the San José Municipal Code stipulates that no person shall waste water from any source nor shall any person allow such water waste. Click here to report water waste.