Sewer Collection System

What We Do

Petaluma’s sewer utility collects, treats, and reuses or disposes of domestic, commercial and industrial wastewater generated by Petaluma and the unincorporated Sonoma County community of Penngrove.

The wastewater collection system is the underground piping that transports raw (untreated) wastewater from businesses and residences to the treatment plant. This system consists of more than 195 miles of sewer collection pipes and nine pump stations. The wastewater is sent to the Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility, where it is processed and recycled for irrigation or released into the Petaluma River.

On May 2, 2006 the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) issued Statewide General Waste Discharge Requirements for Sanitary Systems, Water Quality Order No. 2006-0003 (order).  The order requires any public agency that owns or operates a sanitary sewer system more than one mile in length comply with the requirements of the WDR in order to reduce the number of Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSO).

SSMP Cover Page, TOC

Element 1 - Goals

Element 2 - Organization

Element 3 - Legal Authority

Element 4 - Operations & Maintenance Program

Element 5 - Design & Construction Standards

Element 6 - Overflow Emergency Response Plan

Element 7 - Fats, Oils & Grease Control Program

Element 8 - System Evaluation & Capacity Assurance Plan

Element 9 - Monitoring, Tracking & Reporting System

Element 10 - SSMP Audits

Element 11 - Communication

View the City of Petaluma's Sewer System Management Plan:

SSMP Audit 2018

SSMP Audit 2020

Information on the California Integrated Water Quality System Project (CIWQS) can be found here:

California Integrated Water Quality System Project (CIWQS)

The California Integrated Water Quality System Project contains a variety of reports that pull date from the Water Boards' CIWQS and SMARTS databases.