Treating wastewater (the water that goes down drains and toilets) produces greenhouse gas emissions in two ways. First, the organic matter in wastewater releases methane and other potent greenhouse gases as it breaks down during the treatment process. Second, the equipment that runs treatment plants consumes energy, which produces emissions when that energy comes from fossil fuels.
This indicator tracks the annual greenhouse gas emissions from San Diego's wastewater treatment operations.
IMPORTANT: While the chart shows targets for 2030 and 2035 (green circles), these are illustrative projections, not formal commitments. The City's official climate targets are for total citywide emissions reductions, not for any individual sector.