"When our crews entered the manholes and
storm drain they knew exactly where to drill the holes through the sidewall of the structure and inject the expanding polymer," he said.
The approximately 47 mi of improved
storm drain network within the six-sq mi city is a hybrid of Beverly Hills and Los Angeles County department of public works flood control district facilities.
The Surf City contamination is almost certainly the result of urban run-off flushed into
storm drains.
Santa Clara had previously documented several illegal industrial discharges to the
storm drain system, and now the city had stronger regulations to justify expanding its discharge identification and testing of six activities.
The cleanup operation was facilitated by installing tide gate valves at the
storm drain outfalls.