It’s easy to take for granted that toilets flush and sinks drain, but when they stop working, the City just might be able to help. Arcata’s Collection System Crew—Lead Operator Jose “Pepe” Euan-Estrada and Operator Ted Yarbrough—inspects, cleans and maintains all 64 miles of Arcata’s sewer lines. And if your plumbing problem turns out to be on the City’s side of the line, they could save you money. “If your toilets are backing up, call us first,” says Ted. Adds Pepe, “It doesn’t matter if it’s Christmas or Thanksgiving. It’s what we signed up to do.” The crew loves saving taxpayers money. After all, “Your water and sewer bill pays our wages,” says Pepe. “It’s part of the service.”
Here’s a handy tip: Pepe and Ted remind everyone to pour used cooking grease in a can and let it harden before throwing it in the trash. This prevents problems for everyone down the line.
For sewer backups call 822-5957 during business hours or 822-2424 after hours.
Hear an explanation of inflow and infiltration (starts at 3:12:00), a citywide problem Pepe and Ted are working on and what you can do to help.