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 21, 2022, through March 22, 2022
Date Received From Subject
March 21, 2022 Eileen Boken Public Comment for Capital Planning Committee March 21 Meeting, Item #4
SFPUC Capital Budget Supplemental
Appropriation
March 22, 2022 John Rosapepe Please
John Cote San Francisco Examiner Story on
Drought
Nicole Sandkulla Statement from Chief Executive Nicole
Sandkulla to the SFPUC about its
Responsibility to Continue to Provide a
Reliable Supply of High-Quality Water
at a Fair Price from the Tuolumne River
with Adequate Protection for Fish and
the Environment
Steve Ritchie State Water Resources Control Board
Correspondence: Prepare for More
Drought Impacts Due to Ongoing Dry
Conditions
Laura Walsh Public Comment – Surfrider/South
Ocean Beach Buried Seawall Project
Elizabeth Whipple Tell San Francisco to do its part and heal the environment
Weekly Media Clips
• March 18 – 26, 2022
From: aeboken
To: Capital Planning Program (ADM); Rivoire, Heidi (ADM); Strong, Brian (ADM); Chu, Carmen (ADM); Yip, Angela (ADM)
Cc: Hood, Donna
Subject: Written Public Comment for Capital Planning Committee March 21, 2022 Meeting Item #4 SFPUC Capital Budget Supplemental Appropriations
Date: Monday, March 21, 2022 2:27:22 PM
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Here is the public comment that I was unable to submit verbally:
Eileen Boken, Coalition for San Francisco Neighborhoods.
Speaking on my own behalf.
The SFPUC 10 Year Capital Budget has a line item for Sunset Reservoir South Basin.
Since Sunset Reservoir sits on the side of a hill, it's technically a dam.
North Basin has been seismically retrofitted; South Basin has not.
In the latter years of the 10 Year Capital Plan, there is a line item for a risk assessment costing $8 million.
In the current supplemental, I'm urging the SFPUC to change the South Basin timeframe to 2023 and change it to design and engineering rather than risk assessment.
NEW SUBJECT
The Harry Tracy Treatment Facility in San Bruno is located near the San Andreas Fault.
It's my understanding that there is no redundancy or resilience for this drinking water purification facility.
I would urge the SFPUC to fund the design and engineering of a redundant facility in the 2023 supplemental appropriations.
Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
From: john r
To: Commission
Subject: Please
Date: Tuesday, March 22, 2022 2:18:40 AM
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.
Hi my name is John Rosapepe at 518 25th Street, Oakland CA 94612.
I would like to commend the SFPUC and especially our commissioners for holding the six workshops that focused on the Tuolumne River. It was inspiring that the workshops allowed experts
and organizations to submit testimony and answered questions that have never before seen daylight previously before the commissioners. I think this served everyone well.
However, we are still only have way home as the SFPUC needs to address deficiencies in the Design Drought that have been brought forward by conservation organizations. Corrections to this modeling and the needed correction of
the SFPUC using wrong current water demand of
customers are necessary in order to accurately make a decision on the Bay Delta plan versus the voluntary agreement.
Thank you
John Rosapepe
From: Cote, John W
To: Hood, Donna
Subject: SF Examiner story on drought
Date: Tuesday, March 22, 2022 8:33:16 AM
Attachments: image001.png
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Hi Donna,
I thought the Commissioners might be interested in this story that the Examiner published this morning: Capturing water from the air may help S.F. drought woes - The San Francisco Examiner (sfexaminer.com)
I’ll include it in the weekly roundup, but thought you might want to see it before then.
Take care,
John Coté
Communications Director
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
Mobile: 415-417-9319
Pronouns: he/him/his
sfpuc.org
Read our new annual report here.
155 Bovet Road, Suite 650, ⚫ San Mateo, CA 94402 ⚫ ph 650 349 3000 ⚫ fx 650 349 8395 ⚫ www.bawsca.org Statement from Chief Executive Nicole Sandkulla to the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission about its Responsibility to Continue to Provide a Reliable Supply of High-Quality Water at a Fair Price from the Tuolumne River with Adequate Protection for Fish and the Environment
March 22, 2022
Twenty years ago in 2002, the California Legislature ordered the City of San Francisco to rebuild its Regional (Hetch Hetchy) Water System to protect water users in Alameda, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties, who depend on it for their water supply from a violent earthquake that could have eliminated delivery of water for up to sixty days. That $5 billion program is almost finished.
Lawmakers also created the Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency (BAWSCA) to protect the water interests of those 1.8 million residents, 40,000 businesses including most of Silicon Valley, and hundreds of communities in Alameda, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties.
On December 12, 2018, the State Water Resources Control Board (State Board) adopted its Bay Delta Plan, which when implemented, will result in these water users needing to ration up to 50 percent during multiple drought years.
This potentially catastrophic loss of 90 million gallons of water every day is dangerous and unacceptable for water users. But fortunately, there could be an alternative – an agreed upon plan for the Tuolumne River. It can avoid this catastrophe, and as the provider of water from the Tuolumne River, the SFPUC must help resolve this issue with the State resource agencies, the State Board, and other water providers, with improvements for fish and the adjacent environment.
If you do not, the California Legislature will almost certainly have to intervene again to protect these water users. Since Governor Newsom and the State Board welcome and support voluntary agreements, the SFPUC must move forward to secure an agreed upon plan for the Tuolumne River with the State resource agencies that can be submitted to the State Board for analysis as an alternative to the adopted Bay Delta Plan. So, I ask again, what is your plan to deal with this issue now, to meet the State Board's requirements and those from the Governor's office, and to protect our water users? San Francisco has a perpetual, legal obligation to these water users in the three counties to provide up to 184 million gallons of water per day from its System in line with a legal water-supply agreement, and its operational policies. BAWSCA is your largest customer by far and pays the SFPUC more than $270 million annually. For that, we expect you to provide our water users with a reliable supply of water at a fair price.
Several legislators in our region are stepping up again to avoid a catastrophic water shortage. And BAWSCA has organized a three-county support team including Mayors of three of the Bay Area’s largest cities, leaders of high-technology companies and other vital businesses in Silicon Valley, and labor leaders.
The Commission should confront this issue and act without further delay. It is your responsibility to protect a reliable supply of high-quality water for BAWSCA's water users, and importantly, that there is adequate protection for fish, other wildlife, and the environment.
BAWSCA is ready to work closely with you, members of the Commission, and General Manager Herrera, to meet this challenge. Success now requires action and responsibility at the highest levels of the Commission, the State, and the other suppliers who have water rights on the Tuolumne River. #####
t GAVIN NEWSOM
GO ERROR / V
FOIA
Water Boards
JARED BLUMENFELD
SECRETARY FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
State Water Resources Control Board
March 17, 2022
CITY & COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO PUC AGM WATER ENTERPRISE ATTN: STEVE RICHIE
525 GOLDEN GATE AVE 13TH FLOOR
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102
PREPARE FOR MORE DROUGHT IMPACTS DUE TO ONGOING DRY CONDITIONS Despite record-breaking storms in October and December 2021, most of California is experiencing a severe drought due to the driest January and February on record.
These conditions are worsening quickly and can threaten water supplies, impair critical habitat, reduce recreational opportunities, and create uncertainty for all water users.
Plan Ahead
As we head into a third dry year, it's important to plan for water supply shortages and identify actions you can take to conserve water and adapt to drought conditions, such as reducing irrigated acreage, using innovative irrigation techniques, managing herd size, or diversifying your water supply portfolio. Your early efforts can help minimize the potential impact of water management actions on businesses, homes, farms, and California's environment.
Report Water Use
The Division of Water Rights needs accurate and timely data to manage California's water and keep diverters informed, particularly when water supplies are limited. Now more than ever, it is vital that you report your water diversion and use data on time. All diverters must report their annual water use by April 1, 2022. Many diverters are also required to report diversion metering and measuring data by this deadline.
Accurately reporting your water use and diversion data on time fulfills your legal obligation and allows the Division of Water Rights to better manage the state's water rights system, protect lawful diversions, and more precisely curtail when needed. Better reporting by all diverters is the cornerstone of a modern water rights system.
Dry Conditions
We are experiencing historic dry conditions: February is usually California's wettest month, but January and February 2022 were the driest we've seen in recorded history.
Statewide, precipitation is less than half the yearly average, and dry conditions are forecast to continue through spring.
E. JOAQUIN ESQUIVEL, CHAIR I EILEEN SOBECK, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 1001 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814 I Mailing Address: P.O. Box 100, Sacramento, CA 95812-0100 I www.waterboards.ca.gov
2 March 17, 2022
Last year, extreme drought conditions led to unprecedented actions by the State Water Board that included curtailment of water rights in many California watersheds.
The Division of Water Rights is preparing similar actions for 2022, and we plan to ask the State Water Board to consider emergency regulations to curtail water rights in certain watersheds if dry conditions continue or worsen. If you are in the Bay-Delta, Russian River, Scott River, Shasta River, Mill Creek, or Deer Creek watersheds, you should prepare for earlier curtailments.
We are monitoring the situation closely and will engage with water users as we know more. We encourage you to collaborate with your community to develop cooperative water management solutions that meet both local and state-level needs. Drought resources are included below:
Drought Resources
State Water Board Drought Information
Information and updates on Division of Water Rights drought activities, including emergency regulations, curtailment updates, and regional drought responses are available at waterboards.ca.gov/drought.
Emergency Drinking Water Assistance
Help is available if you are having trouble getting water in your home or your drinking water well has gone dry. Information about programs in your area are available at waterboards.ca.gov/drought/drought_assistance.
Drought Funding Programs
The state offers a variety of funding programs to help Californians during drought.
Information is available at waterboards.ca.gov/droughtifunding_available.
Annual Water Use Reporting
Water diverters must report their annual water use each year. Requirements and details on how to report are available at bitly/AnnualWaterReport.
Measuring and Metering Requirements
Many water right diverters are required to report measuring and metering data each year. Guidance on these requirements is available at bit.ly/VVaterMeasurement.
Questions
Email your questions to drought©waterboards.ca.gov .
From: Laura Walsh
To: Commission
Cc: Holden Hardcastle — San Francisco Surfrider Chair
Subject: Public Comment Today - Surfrider/ South Ocean Beach Buried Seawall Project Date: Tuesday, March 22, 2022 2:13:10 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.
Dear Commissioners -
I was on the phone line during public comment today but was not called on or able to comment. I would like to please submit the following comments for the record. Happy to discuss, I will also try again at the next meeting. Thank you very much.
Laura W.
---
Good afternoon Commissioners,
My name is Laura Walsh, I am the California Policy Manager with the Surfrider Foundation - we protect the coastline and represent thousands of members who enjoy the beach. I also live about a block from Sloat Boulevard and I’m calling about a project that concerns our San Francisco Chapter and this commission in South Ocean Beach.
Surfrider and our local chapter have been interested in the adaptation project near Sloat Boulevard, now called The South Ocean Beach Climate Adaptation Project, for decades. I am commenting today to express disappointment with this project, which was once on track to be a model for sea level rise planning and was even heralded by Barack Obama's advisors a few years back as an exciting model for dealing with erosion. Back then, Surfrider had been working with SFPUC on a vision for South Ocean beach that managed wastewater infrastructure threats and protected the beach. Years of silence went by and we are now faced with an EIR proposal that only achieves one of those two objectives and hurts the beach. It really has been a disappointing turn.
The EIR concept now includes an enormous half a mile long, forty foot high 'buried' seawall. Anyone who surfs or visits the beach here knows that this is going to become exposed and be dangerous, plus it will erode a beach that has long been a pinch point. I already can't go south of the storm drain at Sloat on my morning run because there's not a beach higher than mid tide. Another big issue with the current proposal is that it will require constant sand replenishment to keep the wall buried.
With 10+ feet of sea level rise expected by 2100, this is a foolish and expensive strategy. The proposed "dunes" for the project are more of a single, steep slope that is set too close to the ocean. This will not absorb wave energy so much as withstand erosion for a short time until the beach is gone. The slope is set in place by de facto armoring in the form of concrete pedestrian walkway, ensuring the system can't adapt or migrate inwards.
SFPUC has had more than 20 years to plan for an actual resilient project - one that doesn't require constant artificial maintenance to preserve the beach. Surfrider
strongly objects to the 'now or never' characterization of this project and believes the City can and in fact must manage its wastewater infrastructure responsibly at Sloat while also stewarding the beach. We do not support the EIR in its current version but would like to work with you to build off the investment this Commission has already made in collaboration with community partners to plan a more resilient project.
Ocean Beach is one of the most famous surf beaches in the world, enjoyed by so many in this community and it cannot be traded to protect in place infrastructure that is going to become vulnerable in its lifetime due to sea level rise and storms anyway.
Thank you.
Laura W.
--
Laura Walsh | California Policy Manager | Surfrider Foundation | she/her/hers
702.521.8196 | [email protected]
From: Elizabeth Whipple
To: Commission
Subject: Tell San Francisco to do its part to save salmon and heal the environment Date: Tuesday, March 22, 2022 10:24:19 AM
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.
Dear San Francisco Water,
Dear President Maxwell,
I am writing to urge the SFPUC to embrace science-based environmental protections for the Tuolumne, the San Francisco Bay-Delta, and our declining salmon runs. This is urgent because the SFPUC staff is fighting efforts to heal the river and the Bay and Delta it flows into. Because of the SFPUC’s lack of leadership, salmon have fared more poorly on the Tuolumne River than on any other river in the Bay-Delta watershed. This is causing great damage to Bay-Delta ecosystem and San Francisco’s salmon fishing industry. The SFPUC’s position must change to reflect San Franciscans’ strong commitment to protecting the environment.
I oppose the two lawsuits brought by the City seeking to block protections by the State Water Resources Control Board for the Tuolumne and the Bay-Delta. (NOTE – I DO NOT BELIEVE THE FIRST LAWSUIT CHALLENGED THEIR AUTHORITY. IT JUST CHALLENGED THE FLOW OBJECTIVES.)
The SFPUC is also refusing to accept the scientific evidence presented to them by a peer review commissioned by the National Marine Fisheries Service. This peer review found that the SFPUC’s opposition to improving river flows is not supported by science. Yet the SFPUC is still promoting your baseless proposal, including power washing the gravel in the Tuolumne’s salmon spawning beds.
San Francisco is a great city and the SFPUC should be leading the way in supporting strong protections for the Tuolumne River and the Bay. The SFPUC should also be leading the state by investing in water recycling and stormwater capture, which can help climate-proof our water supplies. Instead, the SFPUC is lagging far behind communities like Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego. The SFPUC should work with local groups that care about the environment instead of teaming up with anti-environmental San Joaquin Valley agribusinesses that insist on siphoning over 90 percent of the river.
I urge the SFPUC to listen to the science and drop your baseless and damaging proposal for the Tuolumne River. The best solution is to support environmentally responsible, science- based protections adopted by the State Water Resources Control Board.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Whipple
Richmond, CA 94801
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
Earned Media Clips
March 18 – March 26
This is a weekly roundup of local, regional and national media stories either focused on the SFPUC or that involved proactive or reactive efforts by the Communications Division.
Date Outlet Story
3/21/2022 SF Examiner Capturing water from the air may help S.F. drought woes - The San Francisco Examiner
(sfexaminer.com)
3/22/2022 SFist Day Around the Bay: How Karl the Fog Can Help Solve the Drought (sfist.com)
(Summary and link to Examiner story)
3/23/2022 SF Chronicle S.F. residents, like many in California, face water-rate hike — but there’s one way to
avoid a bigger bill (sfchronicle.com) (article
attached)
3/23/2022 SF Gate SFPUC Helping Homeowners Find Ways To Save As Water Emergency Declaration
Persists (sfgate.com)
3/26/2022 KPIX Channel 5 San Francisco PUC Offers Free Consultation to Help Customers Save Water
3/23/2022-
3/25/2002
KGO Channel 7
KQED Radio
KCBS Radio
All did broadcast segments about water
conservation and the drought surcharge but
have not posted them online
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
April 2, 2022, through April 6, 2022
Date Received From Subject
April 2, 2022 Eileen Boken California drought deepens as wet season is anything but
From: aeboken
To: aeboken
Subject: California drought deepens as wet season is anything but Date: Saturday, April 2, 2022 1:34:49 AM
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.
Newsha Ajami quoted in article.
https://news.yahoo.com/california-drought-deepens-wet-season-175313788.html Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone