Street Flooding and Sandbags
Click on the title to read about how you can help ensure our storm drain system functions properly during heavy winter rains.

The City of El Cerrito's street sweeping program is funded by your local Stormwater Pollution Control Program to comply with the Federal Clean Water Act. Street sweeping removes pollutants before they drain into storm drains, ditches and creeks which eventually flow into San Francisco Bay untreated.

Please use the following guidelines to help us keep your streets clean:

• Park your cars off the street on your scheduled sweeping day. Sweeping around parked cars requires more time and is a dangerous maneuver.
• Do not clean your front yard into the street. Do not pile leaves. Sweepers are not equipped to pick up large piles of leaves left in the street.
• Keep landscape plants pruned far enough back to allow sweepers to sweep against curb.
• Keep tree branches pruned to a height of 12' above the street to allow passage of sweeper.

If you see someone dumping into a storm drain, call 1-800-NODUMPING. Report as much information about the incident and the parties involved as you can.

If you have household hazardous waste to dispose of, please call 1-888-412-9277.

For more information about El Cerrito's street sweeping program, please call the Maintenance Division at (510) 559-7033. Thank you!

Click here for the Street Sweeping Schedule Map (304 kb) (revised March 2010)

The Maintenance Division is experiencing more and more nuisance complaints regarding "free furniture" and other items left on sidewalks or planting strips thorughout the City. These abandoned items left on the public right-of-way become a breeding ground for rodents, as well as a health hazard.

If you have ANY furniture or household items you wish to give away, please keep these items on YOUR property and away from the public right-of-way. Household items can be donated to a number of charitible organizations here in the East Bay (Richmond Rescue Mission, Goodwill Industries, etc.) and a drop-off collection trailer operated by Goodwill is located at the City's Recycling Center, 7501 Schmidt Lane. If you witness any dumping, please report it to Police Dispatch at 510-233-1214. Thank you for your cooperation and assistance in keeping El Cerrito clean!

Although City sidewalks are located in the public right-of-way, maintenance and upkeep of the sidewalk is the responsibility of the adjacent property owner. California Street and Highway Code Section 5610 requires property owners to "maintain any sidewalk in such condition that the sidewalk will not endanger persons or property and maintain it in a condition which will not interfere with the public convenience in the use of those areas..."

The City will repair or replace sidewalks that have been damaged by City street trees and correct any surface displacement that poses a tripping hazard to a pedestrian. Damaged, broken, or deteriorating concrete not caused by City trees must be repaired or replaced by the property owner. A City encroachment permit is required to do this work and sidewalks must conform to City standards.

If you observe a sidewalk that presents a hazardous condition, please call the Public Works Maintenance Division at (510) 559-7033 to report it.

Malfunctioning streetlights may be reported to the Public Works Department at any time by calling (510) 559-7033. If you report a problem after business hours, please leave the following information on voice mail and it will be forwarded to PG&E on the next business day:

• What is the pole number (listed vertically on the pole facing the street)?
• Is it a wood or steel pole?
• What is the exact location or closest address to the pole?
• Is the streetlight completely out, on all day, or working intermittently?

PG&E can also be contacted directly at 1-800-743-5000 or reports can be made over the internet at www.pge.com.