Health officials pull San Jose Topgolf permits over 'sewage issues'

SAN JOSE, Calif. - A popular sports facility in the South Bay had some of its permits pulled this week by health authorities due to what are being called "sewage issues" in areas where food is prepared. 

On Tuesday, Topgolf in north San Jose partially re-opened with two kitchens and one bar remaining closed.  Late Tuesday, Santa Clara County health officials said they approved the areas to reopen. 

The sewage issues occurred on Sunday night, prompting the county to follow up on reports and do an immediate inspection on Monday.

That resulted in the shutdown of several food preparation areas within the facility, although unaffected areas were allowed to continue operating. 

Santa Clara County Environmental Health first received reports of sewage issues on Monday.

In a statement late Tuesday, a county health official said, "This afternoon Topgolf San Jose completed required protective measures and submitted the necessary documentation confirming that approved cleaning and sanitizing of the affected areas was conducted."

The agency said it conducted a follow-up inspection and approved the previously closed areas to reopen. Health officials noted that a beverage dispenser will remain out of operation until the health department determines it's safe to use.

"DEH received complaints reporting sewage problems on Monday, May 20 and immediately responded to conduct an inspection, resulting in the closure of affected areas of Topgolf’s food services," the agency said in a statement. "While Topgolf was allowed to continue operating at a limited capacity, DEH required professional cleaning and sanitizing before allowing affected areas to re-open."

What customers are saying

Local perspective:

Topgolf customer Kristina Garcia came by on Tuesday to confirm Topgolf was open for a scheduled event after hearing about the sewage problems.  

"Health concerns obviously," Garcia said.  

County records show three areas of Topgolf were shut down, including the kitchen and beverage stations on both the first and second floors, as well as a bar on the first floor.

In all three cases, the county reports there was a "failure to protect food contact surfaces and equipment from contamination."

Topgolf customer Jordan Garcia said he has always enjoyed his experiences at Topgolf and had never noticed any sanitation issues. 

READ: San Jose’s first charter school to close after graduation

"Yeah, everything seems clean," Jordan Garcia said. 

He went on to say he was confident the company would "fix the problem." 

In a statement, Topgolf said it "immediately implemented in partnership with a professional third-party restoration company that uses an EPA-registered disinfectant. Out of an abundance of caution, we made the decision to close our venue last night for additional sanitation efforts."

Neither the county nor Topgolf provided any information on the root cause of the apparent sewage issues other than to say they appear to be resolved.  

The Source: Santa Clara County health officials, customers, Topgolf