Wastewater Division

Responsibilities
The Wastewater Division is responsible for protecting public health and safety by ensuring that wastewater is properly collected, treated, and discharged. This includes the planning, design, maintenance, and repair of all sanitary sewer mains and sewer lift stations within the City.

Wastewater System Needs 
On February 6, 2019, City staff presented the City Council with a status update relating to repairs and improvements needed for the Wastewater System. More information on this process is available:

Wastewater Treatment Plant
Effluent from the collection system is transported via an interceptor to the Wastewater Treatment Plant located in the City of Gilroy, where it is treated and discharged. This plant is owned and operated by the South County Regional Wastewater Authority (SCRWA), under a Joint Powers Agreement with the Cities of Morgan Hill and City of Gilroy.

Proposed Updates to the Existing Sewer Use Ordinance (S.U.O.) and Enforcement Response Plan (E.R.P.)

Through a periodic routine Audit of the Pretreatment Program of SCRWA and communications with the State Water Resources Control Board, updated local limits are being recommended for approval by SCRWA. These updated limits have been reviewed by the Water Resources Control Board and declared as a "non-substantial modification." The proposed amendment will be reviewed at the January and April meetings of SCRWA.

2022 Sanitary Sewer Management Plan
The 2022 Sanitary Sewer Management Plan (SSMP) is intended to update the City’s 2018 SSMP, to be in compliance with the GWDR which require that SSMP's be updated every 5 years. The 2022 SSMP was approved by City Council on December 2, 2022, and is the guiding document to ensure regulatory compliance for sanitary sewer system management. In developing and approving this plan, the City is committed to managing the sanitary sewer system in a manner to protect water quality and public health as appropriate.