The City has a rodent-control program in collaboration with the San Mateo County Mosquito and Vector Control District. Rodents seek out environments where there is food, water and shelter. A successful rodent-control program must eliminate these attractants to prevent rodents from reproducing more quickly than they can be controlled.
The City and District are asking residents to help by reducing attractants such as:
- Unsecured garbage
- Unharvested ripe fruits or vegetables
- Pet food or birdfeeders left overnight
- Overgrown vegetation
- Access points to homes or sheds
- Piles or wood or other debris
If you believe rats are coming into your home, you can request assistance from the San Mateo County Mosquito and Vector Control District. The district does not conduct pest control on private properties, but can provide an inspection to help you figure where rates may be getting in and how to keep them out. The District can also provide information and resources for trapping rodents that may be inside.
You can make a request to the District online at www.smcmvcd.org/help or by calling (650) 344-8592. A rodent inspection is available to any resident of San mateo County, and there is no fee for this service. Visit www.smcmvcd.org/what-you-can-do-rodents for more information and tips.
Yet here in the City of San Mateo, our average resident produces only 3.9 pounds of waste per day while our employees average only 7.6 pounds. With your continued help, our City can continue to reach for the goal of producing Zero Waste.
The city's underground collection system is comprised of 260 miles of sanitary sewer lines and 75 miles of storm drains.
Storm drains, or "outdoor drainage," typically flows to the nearest creek or watercourse. Indoor waste drains are connected to a sanitary sewer line network that flows into a wastewater treatment plant where the waste is treated before is discharged into the San Francisco Bay.
REPORT IT!Report an illegal dumping, pollution or nuisance, condition, or other maintenance concern to Public Works at (650) 522-7300 or use our online complaint form.
The Department of Public Works oversees the maintenance of 210 miles of City streets and 380 miles of sidewalk. In order to ensure that streets and sidewalks are in proper condition, we have 2 key programs—the Pavement Management Program and the Sidewalk Program—to help us take on this daily task.
Learn more about how the City works to keep our streets and sidewalks clean and in good repair.