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Are streets swept when it rains?
The City's street sweeper cannot sweep the street while it rains. The City will sweep your street again on your next scheduled day.
Street Sweeping Schedule |
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How do I open an account for water, sewer or garbage?
To open a utility account with the City of Mountain View, contact the City's Finance and Administrative Services Department at (650) 903-6317.
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How long can I store drinking water?
You may store Mountain View tap water in clean containers for up to 6 months. The following website from the Red Cross contains more information on how to safely store water in advance of an emergency.
Red Cross - Water Storage for Emergencies |
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How much water should I store for emergencies?
The State's Office of Emergency Services recommends a minimum of one gallon per person per day for at least three days be stored for emergency purposes.
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Is my water safe to drink?
Yes. Water provided by the City of Mountain View to its residents meets all U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) and State drinking water health standards.
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What are Mountain View's sources of water?
The City of Mountain View distributes over 4.2 billion gallons of fluoridated water annually to its customers from three separate sources. More than 90 percent of the City's water is treated surface water imported from the Sierra Nevada mountains and purchased from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission's Hetch Hetchy system. The remaining water is purchased from the Santa Clara Valley Water District and a small amount of the City's water is pumped from a deep aquifer through the City's water wells.
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What do I do if I have no water?
To open an account and have your water turned on, call the City's Finance and Administrative Services Department at (650) 903-6317.
If you already have an active account in good financial standing, and you have no water, call Public Services at (650) 903-6329.
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What do I do if I think I have a water leak?
First, turn off all the water on the property. Look at your water meter (usually located near the street) and see if the small triangle on the face of the dial is moving. If it is, you have a leak. You may be able to isolate the leak by turning off the house valve and checking to see if the meter dial has stopped moving. Leaks should be fixed as soon as possible to avoid excessive water charges.
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What do I do if my sewer line backs up?
If any overflows are observed running into the street or drainage facilities, call Public Services immediately at (650) 903-6329.
A backup typically occurs in a home's plumbing system or the lateral (the pipe connecting your home's plumbing system with the City's sewer main). Most slow-moving drains, toilets, or backups may be remedied with drain cleaner or a plunger. If you are unable to clear the line on your own, call a plumber. If the plumber determines the problem is not in your line, call Public Services at (650) 903-6329.
A backflow is much less common and occurs when water or materials come up through a drain, toilet, or other fixture when a home's plumbing system is not being used. This may indicate that the City's sewer main is blocked and wastewater is backing up into your lateral line and home. If this occurs, call Public Services at (650) 903-6329 immediately. If you call the City for assistance with a sewer problem, try to have all vehicles moved from in front of your home to ensure the crew has access to the sewer line.
City crews will clean blockages located in the City's sewer mains. Property owners are responsible for clearing any blockages in the home's plumbing system and the lateral pipeline that connects to the City's sewer main. If the lateral has a property line cleanout, the City as a courtesy, will clean the lateral from the property line cleanout to the sewer main. The property owner is responsible for damage resulting from an improperly constructed lateral, including lack of required backflow prevention devices (valves on your home plumbing system that prevent water from flowing into your home from the sewer system) or illegal hookups.
Typical House Sewer Connection |
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What is my water pressure?
The City of Mountain View's water system delivers water at an average minimum pressure of 45 pounds. This exceeds the California Department of Health Services requirement that a public water system provide more than 25 pounds of pressure.
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Where are sandbags located and when are they available?
Sandbags are located at the City's Municipal Operations Center at 231 N. Whisman Road and at Moffett and Leong, near Highway 101 and 85. Sandbags are generally available after November 1. For more information, call Public Services at (650) 903-6329.
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Where is the City's wastewater treated?
The City of Mountain View's wastewater is treated at the Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant.
Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant |
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Who do I call to report a street light outage?
Report street light outages to Public Services at (650) 903-6329.
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Who do I call to report an abandoned shopping cart?
Abandoned shopping carts located on public property should be reported to the City's Shopping Cart Abatement Hotline at (650) 903-6767. Please include location of cart and nearest cross street in your message.
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Who do I call to report graffiti?
Graffiti should be reported to the City's Graffiti Abatement Hotline at (650) 903-6767.
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Who do I call to report power outages?
Power outages should be reported directly to PG & E at (800) 743-5000.
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Who do I call to report a traffic signal outage?
Traffic signal outages should be reported to Public Services at (650) 903-6329. Signals along Central Expressway are the responsibility of Santa Clara County and signals along El Camino Real and freeway off-ramps are the responsibility of CalTrans who may take longer to respond.
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Why didn't the street sweeper pick up my leaves?
The City collects leaves that have fallen onto City streets. For the City's street sweeper to be able to pick up leaves, the leaves must be in piles no more than 2 feet wide and 6 inches deep; the street sweeper cannot pick up sticks, branches, or palm leaves. Leaves that have fallen onto private property must be collected by the property owner and disposed of in a yard trimmings (green waste) cart. Carts are available in 64- and 96- gallon sizes from Foothill Disposal. To arrange for a special collection or order a cart, call Foothill Disposal at (650) 967-3034.
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Why does my water look cloudy?
Tiny air bubbles can cause cloudy water. The City often pumps water and this can introduce air into the system and create bubbles. The cloudy appearance will settle out if allowed to stand for a few minutes.
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Why is my water yellow or brown?
The most common reason for discolored water is household plumbing. When water is not circulated regularly (such as in a guest bathroom), it can pick up color from galvanized or copper pipes. A rusting water heater can also discolor water.
Water pipes can also accumulate small amounts of sediment over time. When the sediment is stirred up by water flowing through the pipe, you may experience cloudiness or discoloration of your water. The City routinely flushes its water system to remove sediment and this maintenance work can cause temporary discoloration of the water. In most cases, letting the water run five to ten minutes should clear the discoloration. If the water does not clear, call Public Services at (650) 903-6329.
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