Disposing of medications down the toilet or the drain harms the environment.  California pharmacists who once supported the method of drain disposal are now launching the "No Drugs Down the Drain" campaign, a public outreach program designed to educate residents about the problems associated with flushing unused, unwanted, and expired medications down the toilet or drain, and to provide safe and proper disposal choices.

The California Pharmacists Association, along with the California Poison Control System, offer simple steps for safe disposal: pharmaceuticals should be taken to a hazardous waste collection center or event; if no hazardous waste facilities or events exist in your area, medications should be sealed in a sturdy container and placed into a trash not accessible to children and pets. 

• Hazardous waste collection events and centers can be located on the web at http://www.oclandfills.com  or by calling (714) 834-4000. 

• For more information about the "No Drugs Down the Drain" campaign, visit www.nodrugsdownthedrain.org .

The City of San Clemente owns and maintains the public sanitary sewer system serving the community.  Under new statewide general waste discharge requirements, the City is mandated to institute a comprehensive FOG control program.   FOG that enters the sewer system from kitchen sinks and drains eventually hardens and coats the inside of sewer pipes.  Over a short period of time FOG residues build up in the sewer pipes and begin to restrict flows until the FOG build-up completely blocks the normal flow of sewage.  The blockage causes the flow of sewage to exit from the sanitary sewer system at the nearest outlet that is most commonly a manhole, cleanout, or broken pipe, and flow into the storm drainage system.  As a coastal community it takes very little time for a sewage spill to enter our ocean waters.  Sewer spills are public health hazards, they cause negative environmental impacts, they are costly to cleanup, and they are preventable.

To protect your pipes:

·         Do not put oil, grease or greasy foods down the sink, drain or toilet.

·         Solidify cooking oil with an absorbent material such as cat litter or coffee grounds; place it in a sealed container and dispose of it in a trash receptacle.

·         Grease must be hardened in a can or container with a lid before disposing in the trash.  Best to dispose of small amounts in the trash than a full container.

·         Scrape leftover food and grease into the trash.

·         If you soak a greasy pan, place a paper towel over the drain basket to catch grease and food particles as you pour the water down the drain.

·         For large amounts of household oil and grease, place in a sealed container and take it to the Prima Deschecha County of Orange Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center for proper disposal.  Prima Deschecha landfill is situated at the end of La Pata, south of Ortega Highway.  For more information, visit http://www.oclandfills.com.

Grease Interceptor Installation Requirements for Food Facilities

For new or existing food facilities with ongoing major remodeling a grease interceptor may be required.  For information on grease interceptor installation, please download the following file or contact Dan Dyer at (949) 361-6153 or e-mail at dyerd@san-clemente.org.  

Grease Interceptor Installation Requirements.

• Don’t put fats, oil or grease down the drain.

• Plant trees away from your sewer lateral.

• Please visit What is F.R.O.G. for additional tips on keeping FROGs out of the sewer.

• Call 366-1553 before you clean your sewer lateral so Utilities can remove any debris that is pushed into the public sewer line.

Call the Utilities Division at (949) 366-1553. (After hour calls are routed to emergency on-call staff through an answering service)

The City Utilities Division is located at 380 Ave. Pico, Bldg. N
Click here for map

To start a new service, you must contact the Utility Billing Division. You will be required to pay a security deposit of $120 for water and sewer service. This deposit may be waived if you can provide a letter of credit from a previous utility company with 12 months of good pay history or if you have 12 months of good pay history with the City for a previous account.

If you would like to discontinue your service, you can simply call the Utility Billing Division and indicate the day you would like to terminate service. There is no fee to disconnect, and the balance of your security deposit will be mailed to the forwarding address you provide.

We recommend that customers notify us of any service need at least 2 days in advance to insure completion. City personnel must have access to your utility meters at all times to change service or take readings.

For more information, to start or stop utility service, contact:

Utility Billing Division
100 Avenida Presidio
San Clemente, CA 92673
Click here for map

Monday through Thursday between 7:30AM and 5:30PM
Alternating Fridays between 8:00AM and 5:00PM
or call them at (949) 361-8315.

In July of each year the City publishes its Annual Water Quality Report. Since 1991, California water utilities have been providing an annual Water Quality Report to their customers. This year’s report covers calendar year 2008 water quality testing, and has been prepared in compliance with new regulations called for in the 1996 reauthorization of the Safe Drinking Water Act. The reauthorization charged the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with updating and strengthening the tap water regulatory program and changed the report’s due date to July 1.

Wastewater is not just sewage. All the water used in the home that goes down the drains or into the sewage collection system is wastewater. This includes water from baths, showers, sinks, dishwashers, washing machines, and toilets. Small businesses and industries can also contribute large amounts of wastewater to sewage collection systems. The average American contributes 150 gallons of wastewater each day. Wastewater is about 99 percent water by weight and is generally referred to as influent as it enters the wastewater treatment facility. The following web site demonstrates how wastewater is treated.

The City is able to recycle 2.2 million gallons of wastewater a day for irrigation use. The current users of reclaimed water in the City include: The grounds at the City's wastewater treatment plant, the City's Municipal golf course, and the Pacific golf course. The City has plans to double the capacity of producing recycled water in the coming years to 4.4 million gallons per day (mgd).