Top photo by John Ruddock, High Orbit Media

There are approximately 104 miles of sanitary sewer and 2,300 structures, including 7 lift stations. Each asset is routinely inspected, evaluated, and placed into a renewal and replacement program to ensure the City can provide reliable services in the future. The City completed a major "What a Relief" (once in 50 years) Sewer Rehabilitation Project in 2019.


Check the links in the list below for more details:

1. Updated Spill Emergency Response Plan (SERP, June 2023)
2. Sewer System Management Plan - SSMP (Revised May 2019) 
3. Sewer Rate Study
4. MRWMD Shared Responsibility Flyer

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Sanitary Sewer Overflows

A sanitary sewer spill, or "sanitary sewer overflow" ("SSO"), is typically caused by either:

1. clog/backup, capacity issue, or structural failure in the City's sanitary sewer collection system, or,
2. clog/backup, capacity issue, or structural failure in a privately-owned sewer lateral or system.

All spills need to be stopped and contained immediately due to public and environmental health concerns related to untreated sewage/wastewater, and to prevent sewage from reaching local waterways such as streams, lakes, and the Monterey Bay.

IF YOU WITNESS A SANITARY SEWER SPILL OR OVERFLOW IN THE CITY OF MONTEREY, PLEASE IMMEDIATELY CALL THE CITY AT THE TELEPHONE NUMBERS BELOW.

If your home or business is experiencing a sewer spill that's minor and fully contained on your private property (and not in the public Right of Way, sidewalk or street), immediately hire a plumber to fix the issue and restore your sewer flow.

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REPORT SANITARY SEWER SPILLS AND ILLEGAL DUMPING

To report sanitary sewer spills and illegal dumping to the street, waterways, or the storm drain system, please call one of the following:

• (831) 646-3921 (during business hours)
• (831) 646-3914 (during after hours)
• 911 (county-wide, anytime)

Dumping any pollutants or trash into the gutter, catch basin or the storm drain system is ILLEGAL. Please report sanitary sewer spills and any dumping to the City. Local ordinances limit storm water flows to clean rain water and non-polluted incidental flows like groundwater. Please do your part to protect local waterways! Public Reports of City Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSOs) may be found in the SWRCB California Integrated Water Quality System Project (CIWQS) database, available here: www.waterboards.ca.gov/ciwqs/publicreports.shtml

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Find out if you have a sewer lateral line and a backwater valve on your property

Raw sewage. Have you ever had it come out of your toilets, shower stalls or sinks? Though rare, some residents have experienced such unfortunate events. While the City has an aggressive maintenance program that includes cleaning and inspecting sewer mains, it is still possible that a City sewer main can plug up and lead to sewage flooding. However, by installing sewer laterals and release valves (SRV and BWV) on at-risk properties, owners can minimize their exposure to such an incident. Find out more information in this guide.

Sewer Lateral and Backwater Valve Lookup

Backwater Valve Brochure

Check the box when you look up an address in the Property Review portal: