Maintenance Operations Division

The Maintenance Operations Division plans, directs, manages, supervises, and coordinates the activities and operations for maintenance of the City's beach, buildings, parks, trees, roadside landscaping, and streets. This division also oversees response to hazardous materials related situations.

To report a Public Works issue or concern, please call (562) 431-2527 x1414 or send us an email. 

STREETS

The Street Maintenance section is responsible for maintaining all City streets, sidewalks, curbs, and gutters. A City map can be accessed using the link found below. The City adopts a Pavement Management Program Report every two years, which is a record of pavement evaluations and ratings. The purpose of this report is to inventory and rate the quality of the pavement throughout the City. A plan is then put together to optimize the spending of funds for the future. The report makes recommendations for the City's Arterial Paving, Local Paving, and Annual Slurry Seal Programs.

Street Map of Seal Beach
Pavement Management Plan
Paving & Slurry Moratorium

UTILITIES

The City's Utility Maintenance section is a large component of the Public Works Department. The City owns and operates its sewer, water, and storm drain systems. In order to manage, operate, plan, and program, the City has prepared Master Plans for each of the three utilities to better serve and identify capital needs and projects.

The intent of the Sewer System Master Plan is to identify the City's sewers, construct a model of the flow through the system, and recommend improvements related to maintenance of existing pipes and increasing of capacity of the existing pipes.

Maintenance of the Sewer Lateral throughout private property extending to the Sewer Main is the responsibility of the homeowner.

The City of Seal Beach collects sewage and transfers it to the Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD) for treatment. OCSD has developed a program to educate the public on items that are sewer safe. For additional details about this program, please visit www.what2flush.com.

To report a Sewer System Overflow (SSO) or sewer collection system blockage during normal business hours, contact the City of Seal Beach Public Works Department. To report a spill after-hours, contact the Police Dispatch.

City of Seal Beach Public Works Department
Business Hours                                  (562) 431-2527
After Hours                                         (562) 799-4100
Police Dispatch                                   9 - 1 - 1

2005 Ad-Hoc Street and Storm Drain Committee Report
Sewer System Master Plan
Draft 2016 Sewer System Management Plan Audit
Draft 2018 Sewer Master Plan
Draft 2018 Sewer System Management Plan
Draft 2018 Sanitary Sewer Emergency Overflow Response Plan
Water Master Plan
2020 Urban Water Management Plan
Water Shortage Contingency Plan
Appendix J - Reduced Delta Reliance Addendum to the City of Seal Beach 2015 Urban Water Management Plan
Water Rate Study
Storm Drain Master Plan
2019 Focused Study - Ironwood, Guava and Elder Avenue Drainage Systems
2019 Focused Study - Marina Drive Drainage Systems
2019 Focused Study - Seal Way Drainage Systems

The City of Seal Beach Water Department vigilantly safeguards its water supply and, as in years past, the water delivered to your home meets the quality standards required by federal and state regulatory agencies. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water (DDW) are the agencies responsible for establishing and enforcing drinking water quality standards.

The annual Water Quality Report can be found here.

PARKS, TREES & LANDSCAPING

The City contracts with a private contractor to maintain the City parks and landscaping, including medians and City facilities. The City also contracts with a private contractor to maintain and trim the City's urban forestry.

The City makes every effort to ensure the quality and maintenance of its trees. Trees beautify the landscaping of street medians and sidewalks while promoting better air quality in surrounding areas. To learn more about the tree species planted in the City of Seal Beach, maintenance information, planting operations, and standard practices, please refer to the Street Tree Master Plan.

Citywide Landscape Maintenance Contract Reference Map
Street Tree Master Plan

Tree Maintenance Map

HOW TO REPORT A STREET LIGHT OUTAGE AND HOW TO RECEIVE SCE GENERAL OUTAGE ALERTS

The City's street lights are owned and maintained by Southern California Edison (SCE). To report a street light outage, please call (800) 611-1911 or you can visit SCE's Report a Street Light Outage web page here.


Do you want to receive Southern California Edison Outage Alerts?  Click here for more information.

TRAFFIC SIGNALS

The City operates a network of 23 traffic signals. 21 of the signals are located on Seal Beach Boulevard, Westminster Avenue, and Lampson Avenue. In addition, Caltrans operates eight traffic signals that are located within the City, on Pacific Coast Highway and Seal Beach Boulevard.

Traffic Signal Location Map

GRAFFITI

The Maintenance Division is responsible for removal of all graffiti in the public right-of-way. To report graffiti please call (562) 431-2527 x1414.

TRASH & RECYCLING

The City contracts with Republic Services to provide trash, recycling, and green waste collection for all City residents and commercial businesses. Additionally, commercial businesses are provided food scraps collection to ensure compliance with state and local law.

Residential services are available in the following sizes:
Trash: 35-, 64-, or 96-gallon cart
Recycling: 35-, 64-, or 96-gallon cart
Green Waste: 64-gallon cart

Commercial services are available in the following sizes:
Trash: 96-gallon cart or 2-, 3-, 4-yard bin
Recycling: 3-yard bin
Green Waste: 64-gallon cart

Residential accounts are billed and collected by the City via the bi-monthly water bill. Commercial business accounts are serviced and billed directly by Republic Services.

Click here to view the agreement between the City and Republic Services

If you are a resident and have questions regarding collection dates, what to recycle, bin replacement, holiday pick up schedules, or to arrange a bulk item pickup, call Republic Services at (800) 299-4898.

A map of the trash pick-up schedule can be accessed using the link below:

Trash Pick-up Schedule

Click on the links below to view the latest Education and Outreach materials for Seal Beach:

City of Seal Beach Recycling & Waste Newsletter

Click on the link below to learn more about the City's disposal services:

Republic Services Website

HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE DISPOSAL LOCATIONS

To dispose of household hazardous waste (including medical needles/sharps), please visit one of the following locations:

Huntington Beach
17121 Nichols Street

Anaheim
1071 N. Blue Gum Street

Irvine
6411 Oak Canyon

San Juan Capistrano
32250 La Pata Avenue

Hours: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Tuesday through Saturday (Closed major holidays and rainy days)
For more information please visit: http://www.oclandfills.com/hazardous
To dispose of old or unused medication, please see list of drop box locations.

STREET SWEEPING

The City contracts with a private contractor for street sweeping services. Sweeping is done for all public streets, paved public alleys, and specified parking lots in accordance with an established street sweeping schedule. The schedule can be accessed using the link found below.

The City has posted signs to indicate the sweeping time intervals so that cars parked along the road can be moved prior to the scheduled sweep.

The following holidays are observed by the City and street sweeping contractor and sweeping shall be cancelled on the following holidays:

New Year's Day
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
President's Day
Memorial Day
Fourth of July
Labor Day
Veteran's Day
Thanksgiving Day and the Friday After
Christmas Day

Daily street sweeping operations may be cancelled from time-to-time due to inclement weather. In the event of very light rain, sweeping operations shall continue. In the event of heavy and sustained rainfall, sweeping operations shall be cancelled for the day. On rainy days, please check the City's website homepage for inclement weather updates to determine if sweeping operations have been cancelled for that day.

Street Sweeping Schedule

BEACH

The MaintenanceOperations division is responsible for maintaining the City's beach and pier. The City's pier is the second longest wooden pier in California. The City recently re-decked approximately two-thirds of its surface to a smoother walking deck. The project used a special wood type called Greenheart wood.

BUILDINGS & FACILITIES

The City of Seal Beach owns and operates 37 facilities throughout the City. Some of the facilities include: City Hall, Old City Hall, the Police Station, City Yard Building, Library/Senior Center, numerous water facilities (wells and reservoirs), North Seal Beach Community Center, Marina Community Center, Lifeguard Headquarters, Lifeguard Garage, Lifeguard Zero Tower, Beach Yard Building/1st Street Garage, 1st Street/Beach Facility, Zoeter Building (Day Care), the Girl Scout House, Fire Station No. 44, Fire Station No. 48, and the Seal Beach Tennis Center. The City has adopted the 2011 Facility Condition Assessment Report for all City facilities. The report, which can be downloaded here, provides a general overview and planning document for repairs and/or replacements to all City facilities while incorporating current local, State, and Federal building codes, laws, and regulations.

FLEET

The Public Works Department provides vehicle maintenance for over 100 vehicles and pieces of equipment. The Department maintains vehicles for the Police Department, Lifeguards, Public Works, and City Hall pool cars. The fleet includes 90 vehicles, two motorcycles, three all-terrain vehicles, five trailers, over 30 tractors and heavy equipment, and numerous portable generators.

AB 1826

Mandatory Commercial Organics Recycling

About AB 1826

Assembly Bill 1826 requires businesses that generate a specified amount of organic waste per week to arrange for recycling services for that waste.  The law uses a tiered implementation schedule, which phases in requirements on businesses over time based on the amount and type of organics or waste the business produces on a weekly basis.

Why Organics

Mandatory recycling of organic waste is the next step toward achieving California’s recycling and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission goals. Organic waste such as green materials and food materials are recyclable through composting and mulching, and through anaerobic digestion, which can produce renewable energy and fuel. GHG emissions resulting from the decomposition of organic wastes in landfills have been identified as a significant source of emissions contributing to global climate change.

Organic waste includes: food waste, green waste, landscape and pruning waste, nonhazardous wood waste, and food-soiled paper waste that is mixed with food waste.

AB 1826 Compliance

Republic Services is currently working with the City on programs to support  AB 1826.  In early 2016 businesses that fall within the requirements of AB 1826 were notified about setting up an organics recycling program.  Please refer back periodically to our website for the most current information regarding AB 1826 and when recycling programs become available in the City. 

AB 1826 Implementation Timeline

  • April 1, 2016
    Businesses generating 8 cubic-yards per week of food waste shall arrange for food waste recycling service
  • January 1, 2017
    Businesses generating 4 cubic-yards per week of food waste shall arrange for food waste recycling service
  • January 1, 2019
    Businesses generating 4 cubic-yards per week of solid waste shall arrange for food waste recycling service

Does Your Business Qualify?

For a better understanding of the waste your business produces and if your business falls within the thresholds of the AB1826 standards, please contact Republic Services at 1-800-299-4898. 

Where to Go for More Information

For more information on AB1826, please visit the website for the California Department of Resources, Recycling, and Recovery (CalRecycle)

AB 341

The adoption of California Assembly Bill 341, which is designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by diverting waste from landfills and to reach California’s recycling goal of 75% by the year 2020 is now in effect. This law requires California commercial businesses and public entities that generate four or more cubic yards per week of waste and multi-family housing complexes with five or more units, to adopt recycling practices

Each local jurisdiction is required to inform businesses about the recycling requirement and to keep track of the level of recycling within the business community. In addition, each jurisdiction is required to report to Cal Recycle, the state agency that oversees recycling and solid waste, on progress in the business community.

Benefits of AB 341

In addition to less material going into local landfills, AB 341 will also contribute to Orange County’s economy. The Department of Resource Recycling estimates that local jurisdictions, schools, and businesses will save $40 million to $60 million per year from 2012-2020, due to lower recycling versus disposal costs. A higher volume of recyclables will also create manufacturing and recycling jobs and help contribute to California’s competitiveness.

Where to Go for More Information

California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (Cal Recycle)

Senate Bill (SB) 1383

In 2016, former Governor Jerry Brown signed legislation Senate Bill 1383 (SB 1383), which targets a reduction of short-lived climate pollutants, including methane.

SB 1383 requires the state to:

  • Reduce organic waste disposal going to landfills by 75% by 2025.
  • Rescue at least 20% of currently disposed surplus edible food by 2025.

Senate Bill 1383 requires all California residents and waste generators to recycle their organic waste.

Methods for Prevention and Recycling

Food is too essential to throw away. By making small shifts in how you shop, prepare and store food, you can toss less, eat well, simplify your life, save money and keep the valuable resources used to produce and distribute food from going to waste.

Wasted food is a growing problem with profound financial and environmental impacts. Wasted food refers to edible food that is not eaten for one reason or another.

Organic Waste Generator Requirements

All City commercial businesses are required to separate their organic waste such as food scraps, green waste, and other compostable materials from the trash and place into their green container for composting.

Residents can compost too with at home composting bins! If you can’t prevent, reduce, or donate wasted food, you can compost it! By composting food scraps at home instead of sending to a landfill, you’re helping make healthy soils.

Edible Food Recovery

Much of the food currently thrown away in California is perfectly good to eat and could nourish communities instead of going to waste. Under state law SB 1383, commercial edible food generators must recover surplus edible food that would otherwise be disposed of and donate it to food recovery organizations to nourish people. This not only cuts harmful greenhouse gas emissions, but also helps alleviate food insecurity in our communities.

Food recovery rules under SB 1383 were phased in and only affect larger commercial food generators grouped into two categories:

Tier 1 Food Generators (requirements effective January 1, 2022)

  • Large supermarkets ($2M+ gross annual sales and sells a line of dry grocery, canned goods, or nonfood items and some perishable items)
  • Grocery stores (10,000+ sq. ft.)
  • Food service providers (entities primarily engaged in providing food services to institutional, governmental, commercial, or industrial locations of others based on contractual arrangements with these types of organizations)
  • Food distributors (companies that distribute food to entities including, but not limited to, supermarkets and grocery stores)
  • Wholesale food vendors (establishments engaged in the merchant wholesale distribution of food, where food (including fruits and vegetables) is received, shipped, stored, and prepared for distribution to a retailer, warehouse, distributor, or other destination.

Tier 2 Food Generators (requirements effective January 1, 2024)

  • Restaurants (5,000+ sq. ft. or 250+ seats)
  • Large health care facilities (with an on-site food facility and 100+ beds)
  • Large hotels (with an on-site food facility and 200+ rooms)
  • State agency facilities (with an on-site food facility with 250+ seats or 5,000+ sq. ft.)
  • Public schools (with an on-site food facility)
  • Large venues & special events (2,000+ people/day)

How to Comply

Tier 1 and Tier 2 generators must:

  1. Arrange to recover the maximum amount of excess food that would otherwise go to landfills.
  2. Establish a written agreement with food recovery organizations or services.
  3. Maintain monthly records of type, frequency, and pounds of food donated.

Edible Food Recovery Organizations

Ready to begin donating your surplus edible food? Contact a food recovery organization.

Food Finders: Food Acquisitions Coordinator: Mark Eden meden@foodfinders.org (562) 283-1400 x117

Waivers

SB 1383 requires that all commercial businesses subscribe to landfill, recycling, green waste, and food scraps collection service, unless they have an approved waiver or an approved alternative service. Sites with an approved waiver will not be required to subscribe to recycling, green waste, or food scraps service for a period of 5-years.

There are two types of waivers offered for commercial businesses generators in the city:

  1. De Minimis Waiver (minimal generation): Total solid waste collection service (including all waste streams) is two cubic yards or more and organic waste is less than 20 gallons per week, or the total solid waste collection service (including all waste streams) is less than two cubic yards and organic waste is less than 10 gallons per week.
  2. Physical Space Waiver: There is insufficient space for storage or service of containers provided by the Franchise Hauler. If you believe your site may qualify for a waiver, contact Republic Services to request a waiver form and have a Sustainability Advisor perform the required site visit to confirm waiver eligibility.
If you believe your site may qualify for a waiver, contact Republic Services to request a waiver form and have a Sustainability Advisor perform the required site visit to confirm waiver eligibility.

Self-Hauling

Certain properties may qualify for approval of a landscape hauler designation or self-hauling permit. Only those who have requested and received an approval from the City can avoid mandated participation in the City’s franchised hauler-provided services. If you choose not to use the franchised hauler, Republic Services, for your recycling, green waste, or food scraps service, and instead self/back-haul, SB 1383 requires that you maintain records including delivery receipts and the amount of materials delivered. Records must be made available to the City or its designee up on request. Contact AskCityHall@sealbeachca.gov to learn more.

Contamination Minimization

Properly separating your organics and recycling is mandatory. To support SB 1383 implementation and to minimize contamination, the City is required to perform annual contamination monitoring at randomly selected locations. Republic Services staff will lift container lids and visually examine contents to determine if proper sorting practices are being used and to help identify ways to best support and educate customers.

Contact the City to learn more about SB 1383 regulations and our contamination minimization program.

Enforcement

SB 1383 is an important part of California’s climate response, and all California jurisdictions are mandated to enforce these requirements through the municipal code. Generators can be fined for non-compliance with the requirements of SB 1383.
Enforcement of these rules is a collaborative effort between the City and their solid waste service provider. Warnings (a “Notice of Violation”) are given before a citation and fine is issued. Fines range from $50-$250.

Complaints

To submit an SB 1383 complaint, please provide in writing the following information:

  1. If the complaint is not anonymous, the name and contact information of the complainant.
  2. The identity of the alleged violator, if known.
  3. A description of the alleged violation including location(s) and all other relevant facts known to the complainant.
  4. Any relevant photographic or documentary evidence to support the allegations in the complaint.
  5. The identify of any witnesses, if known.
Mail to:

City of Seal Beach – Public Works
RE: SB 1383 Complaint
211 Eighth Street
Seal Beach, CA 90740
Or email to: AskCityHall@sealbeachca.gov

CAL Green

Construction and demolition (C&D) debris can be a significant portion of a jurisdiction’s waste stream and diverting it from landfills can help achieve and maintain City diversion goals. Much of the materials generated from C&D projects can be recycled. State law requires management of C&D debris including meeting a diversion rate requirement. Through California’s Green Building Standards Code (CALGreen), the City requires applicable projects to divert 100% of all land-clearing debris and 65% of all other C&D debris from landfill disposal. C&D diversion reports and weight tickets must be submitted for all C&D projects to monitor a project’s compliance with these requirements.

Organic Waste Procurement

SB 1383 requires cities and counties to buy products made from recovered organic waste and meet annual procurement targets. Direct service providers to the City and all vendors providing paper products and printing and writing papers to the City shall comply with the City's policy regarding recovered organic waste product procurement, including recycled-content paper procurement.

Assembly Bill (AB) 827

AB 827 requires businesses subject to AB 1826 and AB 341 to provide customers with easily accessible recycling and organics collection containers to collect organics and recycling from products purchased on the premises.

All commercial food service establishments that provide food for purchase and immediate consumption on site must comply with AB 827. “Full-service restaurants” are exempt as long as they provide organics and recycling containers in the back of house for their employees

How to Comply? Commercial food establishments must provide customers with containers to collect organics and recycling materials directly adjacent to all trash containers on the premises. All three containers must be easily accessible and visible, clearly marked with signage on what can or cannot be placed into each container. All containers must be properly serviced, meaning organic materials must be composted or otherwise recovered, and recyclables must be recycled.

State and Local Recycling Mandates

The City, along with its residents and commercial businesses, must follow State and local laws and ordinances. For further information on each law and ordinance, visit the following links:


City of Seal Beach Ordinance
Short Lived Climate Pollutants (SLCP): Organic Waste Reductions (SB 1383)
Mandatory Commercial Recycling (AB 341)
Mandatory Commercial Organics Recycling (AB 1826)
Customer Access to Recycling and/or Organics Recycling Containers (AB 827)
CALGreen Building Code