Almaden Resident
News
Holidays bring sewer backups to Almaden streets
By Eli Segall
'Tis the season in San Jose, which means decorations, candy, gifts--and clogged sewers.
With the rainy season in full swing, water can oversaturate the ground and seep into San Jose's sewer pipes, causing a greater frequency of pipe stoppages in winter than in other seasons, said Raymond Ho, sewer and storm services manager for the San Jose Department of Transportation.
Lee Wilcox, chief of staff to Councilwoman Nancy Pyle, said Christmas-time brings more sewer backups to Almaden Valley than any other time of the year.
The problem along Canoas Creek has become so bad that the San Jose Department of Public Works is currently taking bids for a $1.15 million project to remove sediment and debris from a 7,500-foot sewer line along the creek, between Branham Lane and Blossom Hill Road.
"We only have so much money to do these kinds of improvements," Wilcox said. "We need this project."
A report on the project said the city has received "numerous odor complaints" from residents and businesses in the area .
"It's disgusting," said Jon Rahmani, a storeowner on Blossom Hill Road who has noticed an odd smell coming from the bathroom pipes.
San Jose is not the only city in the region experiencing clogged pipes. The Association of Bay Area Governments runs a sewer education program, "Be Sewer Smart," to inform all Bay Area residents of common underground problems and how to address them.
The program offers tips on inspecting and clearing pipes, where to plant trees so roots do not interfere with sewer lines, and phone numbers to call if sewage overflows into the front yard or causes structural damage to residents' homes.
San Jose City Councilman Dave Cortese is president of ABAG and is distributing backflow prevention devices, a small, mushroom-shaped instrument that allows water and backup materials to escape from the home. The devices are free.
Backflow, a process of water or waste materials coming through a sink or bathtub drain into a home, is much less common than backups, when waste obstructs a home plumbing system and clogs drains or toilets.
"People don't realize the effects of backflow," said Rabia Chaudry, Cortese's chief of staff. "It doesn't happen all that frequently, but it can cost up to $40,000 just to clean your house."
Backups occur inside private property, leaving residents liable for any damages or cleanup, whereas backflow may be covered by insurance or a local sanitation district.
To learn more, call 408.535.4908 or visit www.sewersmart.org.
