OUR MISSION: To provide our customers with high-quality, efficient and reliable water, power and sewer services in a manner that values environmental and community interests and sustains the resources entrusted to our care.
525 Golden Gate Avenue, 13th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94102
T 415.554.3155
F 415.554.3161
TTY 415.554.3488
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
Correspondence Log
February 18, 2022, through February 24, 2022
Date Received From Subject
February 18, 2022 Emily Algire SFPUC Citizens’ Advisory Committee Resolution to Continue
Online Meetings Due to the COVID-
19 Pandemic
February 21, 2022 Eileen Boken As drought lingers, larger and more destructive wildfires pose new
threats to water supply
February 22, 2022 Carol Steinfeld Please manage the water supply and demand as a whole
February 24, 2022 Dennis Herrera Correspondence to BAWSCA re:
10-Year Capital Improvement Plan
(CIP); and CIP Delivery
OUR MISSION: To provide our customers with high-quality, efficient and reliable water, power and sewer services in a manner that values environmental and community interests and sustains the resources entrusted to our care.
525 Golden Gate Avenue, 13th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94102
T 415.554.3155
F 415.554.3161
TTY 415.554.3488
February 17, 2022
President Anson Moran
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
525 Golden Gate Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94102
Re: Resolution Adopted by the SFPUC Citizens’ Advisory Committee
Dear President Moran,
This letter is to inform you that the SFPUC Citizens’ Advisory Committee voted at their February 15, 2022, meeting, to pass a Resolution to Continue Online Meetings Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Please see the attached adopted resolution.
The SFPUC Citizens’ Advisory Committee was established by ordinance to publicly discuss and make recommendations to the General Manager of the Public Utilities Commission, the Public Utilities Commission, and the Board of Supervisors on the agency's long-term strategic, financial and capital improvement plans. Our seventeen members are appointed by each of the Supervisors, with additional appointments by the Board President and the Mayor.
We appreciate the opportunity to comment on this important topic and look forward to having staff report back on the progress made towards the recommendations.
Sincerely,
Emily Algire
Full CAC Secretary
cc: Dennis Herrera, SFPUC General Manager
Ronald Flynn, SFPUC Chief of Staff
Masood Ordikhani, Assistant General Manager, External Affairs
Resolution to Continue Online Meetings Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic
WHEREAS, California Government Code Section 54953(e) empowers local policy bodies to convene by teleconferencing technology during a proclaimed state of emergency under the State Emergency Services Act so long as certain conditions are met; and WHEREAS, In March, 2020, the Governor of the State of California proclaimed a state of emergency in California in connection with the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (“COVID-19”) pandemic, and that state of emergency remains in effect; and WHEREAS, In February 25, 2020, the Mayor of the City and County of San Francisco (the “City”) declared a local emergency, and on March 6, 2020 the City’s Health Officer declared a local health emergency, and both those declarations also remain in effect; and WHEREAS, On March 11 and March 23, 2020, the Mayor issued emergency orders suspending select provisions of local law, including sections of the City Charter, that restrict teleconferencing by members of policy bodies; those orders remain in effect, so City law currently allows policy bodies to meet remotely if they comply with restrictions in State law regarding teleconference meetings; and
WHEREAS, On September 16, 2021, the Governor signed AB 361, a bill that amends the Brown Act to allow local policy bodies to continue to meet by teleconferencing during a state of emergency without complying with restrictions in State law that would otherwise apply, provided that the policy bodies make certain findings at least once every 30 days; and WHEREAS, While federal, State, and local health officials emphasize the critical importance of vaccination and consistent mask-wearing to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the City’s Health Officer has issued at least one order (Health Officer Order No. C19-07y, available online at www.sfdph.org/healthorders) and one directive (Health Officer Directive No. 2020-33i, available online at www.sfdph.org/directives) that continue to recommend measures to promote physical distancing and other social distancing measures, such as masking, in certain contexts; and WHEREAS, The California Department of Industrial Relations Division of Occupational Safety and Health (“Cal/OSHA”) has promulgated Section 3205 of Title 8 of the California Code of Regulations, which requires most employers in California, including in the City, to train and instruct employees about measures that can decrease the spread of COVID-19, including physical distancing and other social distancing measures; and WHEREAS, Without limiting any requirements under applicable federal, state, or local pandemic-related rules, orders, or directives, the City’s Department of Public Health, in coordination with the City’s Health Officer, has advised that for group gatherings indoors, such as meetings of boards and commissions, people can increase safety and greatly reduce risks to the health and safety of attendees from COVID-19 by maximizing ventilation, wearing well-fitting masks (as required by Health Officer Order No. C19-07), using physical distancing where the vaccination status of attendees is not known, and considering holding the meeting remotely if feasible, especially for long meetings, with any attendees with unknown vaccination status and where ventilation may not be optimal; and
WHEREAS, On July 31, 2020, the Mayor issued an emergency order that, with limited exceptions, prohibited policy bodies other than the Board of Supervisors and its committees from meeting in person under any circumstances, so as to ensure the safety of policy body members, City staff, and the public; and WHEREAS, The Citizens’ Advisory Committee has met remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic and can continue to do so in a manner that allows public participation and transparency while minimizing health risks to members, staff, and the public that would be present with in -person meetings while this emergency continues; and WHEREAS, On December 17, 2020 the Mayor issued the Forty-First supplement to the Mayoral Proclamation declaring the existence of a local emergency dated February 25, 2020, requiring City committee members to meet in-person, starting on February 28, 2022, and indicating that the public interest of in-person meetings has a priority over public health risks from the COVID- 19 pandemic; and,
WHEREAS, there are no vaccinations available for children under 5, and Citizen’s Advisory Committee members include parents of children under 5, and immune-compromised individuals; and;
WHEREAS, the Citizen’s Advisory Committee has met virtually for almost two years now, with increased attendance, maintaining public comment and high productivity, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Citizens’ Advisory Committee finds as follows:
1. As described above, the State of California and the City remain in a state of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At this meeting, the Citizens’ Advisory Committee has considered the circumstances of the state of emergency.
2. As described above, State and City officials continue to recommend measures to promote physical distancing and other social distancing measures, in some settings.
3. As described above, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, conducting meetings of the Citizens’ Advisory Committee and its subcommittees in person would present imminent risks to the safety of attendees, and the state of emergency continues to directly impact the ability of members to meet safely in person; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Citizens’ Advisory Committee urges the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, the General Manager, and the Board of Supervisors to advocate to the Mayor’s Office to allow the continuation of virtual meetings, or allow hybrid meetings, until the State of California and the City are no longer in a state of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, That in the event the requirement to begin in-person meetings does take effect the Citizens’ Advisory Committee requests that the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission and the General Manager provide rapid COVID-19 testing and a large meeting room that would allow social distancing to protect the health of the committee’s 16 members, their families, and our community.
As adopted by the Full Citizens’ Advisory Committee on February 15, 2022.
From: Carol Steinfeld
To: Commission
Subject: Please manage the water supply and demand as a whole Date: Tuesday, February 22, 2022 1:40:55 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Commissioners:
Currently, user demand of the Hetch Hetchy supply is undermanaged.
There is no reason SFPUC cannot ask the biggest users—the San Mateo County uninterruptible supply wholesale customers, among others--if they would like to hear about SFPUC's demand-management programs. In fact, I've noted SFPUC's programs to a BAWSCA staffer, who then told me he would like to hear from me more about these programs....
Instead, a disconnect is enforced for no reason. And at least one SFPUC staff member uses staff time to promote one of SFPUC's program models in other states--and yet never speaks to San Mateo County operatives.
As a Pacifica water ratepayer stated at a BAWSCA meeting, the public does not know about these lawsuits against the state AND it is not asked to reduce water use.
BAWSCA grappled with a budget shortfall last year. Yet it is unnecessarily funding Bay Delta Plan litigation, following SFPUC's litigation.
We very much appreciate the effort the commission has made to require accountability from the SFPUC staff. It is time for the commission to fully meet its public charge and ask for full demand management of the supply. FYI: San Mateo's per-capita use is 95 gpppd. Hayward's (a similar city in size and population but hotter and with robust demand programs) is 45 gpppd. San Francisco's: 32 to 38 gpppd. BAWSCA will not move on this until it is called on to act.
The commission should also call on the ineffective distraction that is the voluntary agreement effort. Your work showed that the staff is not confident in its VA claims. It did not publicly publish this information, and it did not address questions of its positions such as salmon do better with less water.
Please take charge of this situation. You have the understanding and discernment as well as the charge from the public.
Thank you.
Carol Steinfeld
Co-chair, Water Committee, Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter
Services of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
OUR MISSION: To provide our customers with high-quality, efficient and reliable water, power and sewer services in a manner that values environmental and community interests and sustains the resources entrusted to our care.
525 Golden Gate Avenue, 13th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94102
T 415.554.3155
F 415.554.3161
TTY 415.554.3488
February 24, 2022
Nicole Sandkulla, CEO/General Manager
Bay Area Water Supply & Conservation Agenda
155 Bovet Road, Suite 650
San Mateo, CA 94402
Dear Ms. Sandkulla,
I write in response to your letter of January 31, 2022 to the Commission providing BAWSCA’s comments on the SFPUC’s 10-year Capital Improvement Plan for the Water Enterprise and Hetch Hetchy Water for FY 2022-32 through FY 2032-33, as well as your email correspondence of February 13, 2022 regarding meeting to discuss SFPUC’s approach to addressing the critical issues of CIP delivery identified during this most recent CIP update.
As we continue to examine and determine the best path forward for appropriate implementation schedules, robust cost estimates, budgets, and rate payer affordability, we are committed to continue our collaboration with BAWSCA to address your questions and review prospective solutions.
At this time, our internal team is gathering data from our various enterprises, and city partners, in order to craft our priorities for the coming year. We have provided your comments to that group. Once this internal preparation has advanced, Alison Kastama will reach out to schedule a meeting in order to provide you an update and to get your input so we can put in place the best plans to ensure appropriate investment in and maintenance on our vital regional system.
Thank you for BAWSCA’s continued partnership and commitment to the people and communities we both serve.
Sincerely,
Dennis J. Herrera
General Manager
Cc: SFPUC Commission
Alison Kastama, BAWSCA Liaison, SFPUC
OUR MISSION: To provide our customers with high-quality, efficient and reliable water, power and sewer services in a manner that values environmental and community interests and sustains the resources entrusted to our care.
525 Golden Gate Avenue, 13th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94102
T 415.554.3155
F 415.554.3161
TTY 415.554.3488
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
Correspondence Log
March 1, 2022, through March 1, 2022
Date Received From Subject
March 1, 2022 Eileen Boken These Tiny Robots Could Usher in the Future of Clean Water
New Satellite Over Pacific Ocean to
Provide Critical Climate Data
California faces another year of
drought and elevated wildfire risk
due to climate change, expert says