Sanitary Sewer

aerial shot of a street

The City of Los Altos provides sanitary sewer services to most residents and businesses within the City. The City also provides sewer services to the unincorporated area within the City’s sphere of influence including a portion of the Town of Los Altos Hills, and a small portion of the City of Mountain View.

Wastewater is conveyed to the Palo Alto Regional Water Pollution Control Plant for treatment and disposal. The City has rights to discharge up to 3.6 million gallons per day (mgd) average annual dry weather flow to the Regional Plant. This does not include the flow that Mountain View adds to the City’s system.

The City owns and maintains the collection system within the City and its sphere of influence and the trunk sewer that connects the City to the master metering station for the Regional Plant. The City’s collection system includes approximately 140 miles of sewer pipes of which most is 6-inch and 8-inch vitrified clay pipe (VCP). The City also provides limited maintenance for the portion of the Town’s collection system that discharges to the City. This work is performed under an agreement between the City and Town of Los Altos Hills.