Sewage flows into creek
By Kara Chalmers
On July 7, sewage overflowed out of a manhole onto Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road, near Reid Lane. Although the West Valley Sanitation District blocked the flow soon after, Bob Reid, the district manager, said that some sewage got into the storm drain and into Saratoga Creek.
Similar incidents occurred on July 16 and again on July 17, in another part of the city. According to Dave Ross, manager of the Cupertino Sanitary District, an electronic meter that measures sewage in the district's lift station on Vista Regina near Pierce Road failed. When the device measures a certain height, it pumps the sewage back down, Ross said.
The result was that liquid sewage came out of the manhole on the street, and some ended up in the Calabazas Creek. Fortunately, the creek is dry in sections, so the sewage likely percolated into the ground, Ross said. The district measured contamination levels three days later, and the measurements showed that the contamination had been flushed out, Ross said.
The sanitary district not only replaced the device, it also put two more backup measurement devices in the station. Ross said the district would also install similar backup devices in its 12 other stations.
According to Saratoga's Interim City Manager Bill Norton, residents who view anything flowing from beneath manholes covers should immediately call their fire district.
The Saratoga Fire District serves one half of the city while the Santa Clara County Fire Department serves the other half. Residents who do not know which department to call, can call 911 or the city's public works department at 408.868.1245.
Norton also advised residents to call their fire district or 911 if they see people dumping chemicals or motor oil into any of the city's catch basins.
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Saratoga, California Since 1955
