Board of Supervisors declare local emergency due to storm damage

The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors declared a new local emergency Tuesday due to ongoing storm-related damage, and extended a previous emergency order stemming from a sewage pipe that broke in January, county officials said.

Since Jan. 3, San Mateo County has been hit hard by rain and wind stormss, damaging infrastructure, waterways and soil in more than 30 locations.

At Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting, San Mateo County Public Works Director Jim Porter warned of more damage that may come with the storm expected to arrive Thursday.

Porter said:

“These hills are saturated and there is nowhere for the water to go. So it will be a tricky couple of days.”

Damage to San Mateo County in recent weeks includes mudslides, road damage, flooding and windfalls. Storm damage has left the creek water of County Service Area 7 in La Honda, the area’s water source, undrinkable. As a result, water must be brought in on trucks for human consumption, county officials said.

On Jan. 23, a sewage pipe broke behind the property located at 1560 Seneca Lane in the unincorporated San Mateo Highlands neighborhood, causing $1 million in damage. On Feb. 2, the county issued a local emergency, which has been extended.

County officials estimate the cost of repairs from recent storm damage exceeds $6 million. The emergency declaration makes the County eligible for certain state financial and technical assistance.