The City’s sanitary sewer system consists of a network of pipes and manholes. The system is designed to carry wastewater from homes and other buildings to the Hercules–Pinole JPA Sanitary Wastewater treatment plant, where it is processed before being emptied into San Francisco Bay. The City’s sanitary sewers are designed only for sanitary wastes.
Sewer Backups
Sewer backups and backflows, and the damage they inflict, represent a major cause of inconvenience and loss for homeowners and communities around the San Francisco Bay. The Association of Bay Area Governments’ (ABAG) Pooled Liability Assurance Network (PLAN) initiated the Be Sewer Smart program and works with Bay area cities, sanitary districts, and other partners to educate the public on how backflows can be prevented.
Anytime backups occur, before contacting a plumber or sewer service, homeowners should first contact the Public Works Division.
For after-business-hours emergencies, contact Police Dispatch at: 510-724-1111
Sewer Lateral Ordinance No 457 was put into effect on May 13, 2010. The purposes of this ordinance is (i) to provide for operation and maintenance of the City's sewer system in a reliable and serviceable condition, (ii) to eliminate or minimize sewage overflows by eliminating or minimizing stoppages and reducing sources of infiltration and inflow into the City's sewer system, (iii) to comply with applicable legal requirements pertaining to the City's sewer sytem and (iv) to protect the public health and safety by establishing and providing a mechanism for enforcing performance standards for private sewer laterals that connect or are connected to a City Public Sewer Main. The requirements to obtain a Sewer Lateral Certificate of Compliance are to act in accordance with the Sewer Lateral Ordinance Requirements. The initial Application for the Sewer Lateral Certificate must be completed before contacting a reputable contractor to provide the video inspection. A list of approved Plumbing Contractors is attached. Any questions, please call the Public Works Department at 510-799-8241.
Sanitary Sewer Fees
The City of Hercules sewer fees are categorized into three separate fee structures: Single family detached Units (Condominiums and Townhomes), Multi family Units and Commercial, Retail, and Institutional. Single family detached units are charged a monthly rate of $40.00, and Apartment units are charged $24.60 Commercial/Retail and Instritutional are charged based on individual water consumption. The second fee structure change is a $2.00 monthly surcharge per household/business. This $2.00 fee will be assessed for 8 years. Water usage will be based on billing provided through East Bay Municipal Utility District.