San Jose shows progress in clearing encampments, reducing pollution along its waterways

As San Jose attempts to comply with the Clean Water Act and other regulations, the city has significantly reduced the impacts from one of the largest polluters of its waterways: homeless encampments.

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In the previous fiscal year, the city cleared 16 of its 26 miles of most impacted waterways — removing 3.6 million pounds of trash and creating new no-encampment zones along them, a new report shows. And, in the past few months, San Jose has picked up the pace even more, clearing 27.2 miles and banning encampments on 22 miles of its 100-plus-mile waterway system.

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan lauded the city’s robust efforts but cautioned that the progress the city has made is merely incremental as it continues its push to reduce unsheltered homelessness and meet its environmen