Snapcrap!

Yes, you read that right, SnapC-R-A-P, not "chat," an app created and launched last week by Sean Miller. It alerts San Francisco's Public Works Department that a citizen using the app on their smartphone has found a pile of excrement on a sidewalk that needs to be cleaned up. The app (only currently available for iOS users) uses GPS to locate the pile (human or otherwise) and alert clean-up crews where to find it. Users get to keep track of their complaints, too!

"City officials have taken steps in recent years to combat the persistent problem of human waste on streets, including placing public toilets in 12 neighborhoods and, most recently, forming a team of five public works staffers — dubbed the poop patrol — who soon will begin combing neighborhoods and steam-cleaning areas where waste is found." http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-snapcrap-20181008-story.html

Another link with a video:
https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Snapcrap-App-Developer-Hopes-to-Help-Clean-Up-San-Francisco-Streets-495076441.html

Los Osos has a poop problem too, some human. But the bulk of poop left around is supplied by dogs with lazy owners who fail to pick up after them. I don't think an app would help our situation any, but our town would be a lot nicer if we could fix the open air waste problem, especially since we finally have a sewer to fix the below ground poop and pee problem caused by septic tank density.

I do know that some LO citizens DO pick up the doo-doo left by shameless dog owners, and a hearty THANK-YOU goes out to each one of you.

San Francisco's Sewage

What is a trip to San Francisco without wastewater reporting when you have a sewer blog? I kept hoping for at least a manhole cover to show you as I was walking along the streets downtown. But all I saw without getting run over in traffic was PG & E manhole covers. Most disappointing.

I had better luck on the sewer front as we were driving out of town to go home. On the Great Highway, there are two sewage-related buildings. First I saw a Pump Station—the Westside Pump Station. Here is a shot of it by Ben Niehaus. I was driving, bummer, no shot for me! His has better weather than mine would have had however.

Next, just beyond this, was the Oceanside Treatment Plant! What a bonanza, yet I had to drive right past them both! Bummer!

So I googled them when I got home. Here is a great article by Mark Lukach, “Poop Parade: Behind the Scenes of the Oceanside Treatment Plant.”

http://oceanbeachbulletin.com/2011/07/11/the-poop-parade-behind-the-scenes-of-the-oceanside-treatment-plant/

You might want to get an overview of San Francisco’s entire sewage picture, so I have provided some fun links.

San Francisco Sewer System Master Plan as of 2010:

http://www.sfwater.org/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=723

Appendix H of said plan (CSD stands for “Combined Sewer Discharge - sewer and storm waters):

http://sfwater.org/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=664

Appendix I of that plan - S.F. Pump stations:

http://sfwater.org/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=661

Westside Pump Station map:

http://wikimapia.org/4124921/Westside-Pump-Station

Oceanside Water Pollution Control Plant map:

http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=37.747440&lon=-122.499619&z=14&m=b&show=/1771029/Oceanside-Water-Pollution-Control-Plant

But even cooler is this map, that shows both plants, plus a whole lot more:

http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=37.734807&lon=-122.506485&z=19&m=b

Art, apparently at the Westside Pump Station!

http://www.artandarchitecture-sf.com/earth-air-sea.html

Coolest of all are the TOURS!!! Access the information off this link:

http://sfwater.org/index.aspx?page=95

I will try to better coordinate my next trip north.

Major Metropolitan Street Potty

San Francisco! Wish I'd had the time to go in to see what it was like!