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.
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
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 Initial Lead Service Line Inventory (2024)
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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 Food 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
Click here to view the rates effective 07/01/24 to 06/30/25
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:
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
To dispose of household hazardous waste (including medical needles/sharps), please visit one of the following locations: Huntington Beach 17121 Nichols Lane, Gate 6 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.
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
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.
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.
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.
Mandatory Commercial Organics Recycling
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.
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.
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.
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.
For more information on AB1826, please visit the website for the California Department of Resources, Recycling, and Recovery (CalRecycle)
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.
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.
California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (Cal Recycle)
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:
Senate Bill 1383 requires all California residents and waste generators to recycle their organic waste.
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.
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.
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)
Tier 2 Food Generators (requirements effective January 1, 2024)
How to Comply
Tier 1 and Tier 2 generators must:
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
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:
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.
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.
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.
To submit an SB 1383 complaint, please provide in writing the following information:
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.
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.
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.
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: