Gateview Not Cited for Waste Discharge

To the many citizens who offered support for my earlier post about fire drills - thank you for helping out. Here's something else that might be of interest if you care about the environment. A potential problem which neither my HOA or the City seem eager to tackle; dumping of toxic chemicals.

Back in August many Gateview residents observed an oil slick running from a drain on our property into the street. That liquid had the consistency of lumpy motor oil and smelled like a mixture of gasoline and raw sewage (see above image). A little investigation revealed it originated from trash rooms inside our garage which had been washed down with some kind of solvent.

This would've gone unnoticed except for the fact an adjacent storm drain was partly blocked, causing pipes to back up and overflow into nearby ivy. Rust stains on the sidewalk reveal this apparently happens often. The Association also operates an open trash compactor on the south end of the property. When washed down it too discharges effluent into a sidewalk grating.

We're all paying a pretty penny to upgrade Albany's municipal sewer and it makes sense to use that system, if called for, instead of dumping wastewater into the street. We contacted the City about this spill shortly after it happened and again in November but still haven't heard back from anyone about an inspection or any findings.

I also inquired about our swimming pool drain since it appears to run into the street as well. Maintenance issues are a low priority for the Gateview Board of Directors and repairs often take a long time to be completed. A sliding glass door on my building (DEF) was shattered three weeks ago and still hasn't been replaced, leaving an unsecured lobby entrance wide open for hundreds of homes.

It's safe to assume most normal people probably don't want to be bad citizens and pour tons of chlorinated water or dumpster runoff into the Bay. That sets a poor example for children everywhere and sends a signal to neighbors and potential buyers we're not green-minded or respectful of all the hard work it took to clean up local waterways.

Perhaps your voice will be the one which makes a difference. On behalf of Gateview residents, especially those of us who visit Albany Bulb often to enjoy a clean and unpolluted shoreline, thanks for any help you or your friends can offer. Here are some people you might contact:

Mayor's Office: Peggy Thompsen
(510) 559-7250
E: peggy.thomsen@gmail.com

City Council E: cityhall@albanyca.org

Building Inspector: David Henderson
(510) 528-5760
E: dhenderson@albanyca.org

Public Works Director/CE
Ray Chan
510-524-9543
E: aalvidrez@albanyca.org

Best Regards,
Steven H.