Water Flowing Underground

My hat is off to Bernalwood, one of my favorite local blogs, not only for their fabulous reportage that often cracks me up, but for their latest post that so beautifully ties up several of my favorite interconnected subjects: topography, history, and infrastructure. So very helpful also is their earlier post on how to navigate the transition to a "more happy" Cesar Chavez.

David Rumsey

Here's a cool tool to find out if property you are considering is on top of a creek. Most creeks in San Francisco are underground in pipes at this point, though there are some small movements to daylight some of them.

Museum Ca

In San Francisco, the storm drains and sewers all run in the same pipes and are managed by the SF Public Utilities Commision.  In Marin, sewer systems are managed by individual districts, with several combining forces to work as larger districts.

San Pablo

There have been some terrible sewage spills in Marin in the last few years, leading to a requirement in some cities that sewer laterals be inspected at point of sale. Other cities offer incentives for lateral repair.  Whether required to or not, it is always a good idea to have the sewer lateral inspected if you are purchasing a single family home in a community served by a sewer system. It is much more fun to negotiate a reduction in purchase price, then to be surprised by a costly repair after closing.  

Eureka

In rural areas, septic systems are used for household waste instead. Inspections are vital for these as well. Besides the obvious health hazards (to your family, your neighbors and the environment) of a failing system,  the capacity of your septic system will have bearing on any expansion you may plan for your house in the future.