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
DATE: December 6, 2022
TO: Commissioner Newsha Ajami, President
Commissioner Sophie Maxwell, Vice President
Commissioner Tim Paulson
Commissioner Tony Rivera
Commissioner Kate Stacy
THROUGH: Dennis J. Herrera, General Manager
FROM: Steven R. Ritchie, Assistant General Manager, Water
SUBJECT: Water Resources Division Annual Report FY 21-22
The Water Resources Division is pleased to present the FY 21-22 Annual Report, which presents a snapshot of SFPUC water sources and uses, Water Resources program achievements, and water conservation assistance provided to customers.
California is experiencing a new climate reality. The last decade has seen some of the driest years in recorded history. Our Hetch Hetchy watershed experienced its driest 3- year period ever during Water Years 2020-22. The SFPUC quickly adopted local directives to implement the Governor’s orders to reduce water use. In November 2021, we declared a water shortage emergency and called for a voluntary systemwide reduction in water use. The emergency declaration also approved charging retail customers a drought surcharge and issuing wholesale customers monthly water budget reports.
To help us reach our reduction goals, we launched a robust, multi-lingual regional drought outreach campaign. Customers have responded to our call for conservation as reflected by lower water use, and increased participation in our conservation assistance programs. Summertime water use across the region remained flat and avoided the typical summertime peaks. Systemwide water use decreased over 10% through the summer and early fall, a time when we normally see a marked increase in usage.
The SFPUC has a long history of preparing for and adapting to change. Our conservation program includes rebates, tools, and resources to help customers use water wisely. At the same time, we continue to invest in diversifying and expanding our water supplies.
Finding new sources of water is incredibly challenging in the Bay Area and it can take decades to implement water supply projects. Proactive planning, steady measured progress, and dedicated staff have helped us successfully bring new water supply resources online – such as groundwater, recycled water, and onsite reuse – that help us better prepare for a changing climate.
This year has presented huge challenges, but we are proud to have met these head- on. In keeping with SFPUC’s history of innovation, our staff has continued to reimagine the possibilities of our future water supply, while working hard to maintain the quality and reliability our customers have come to depend on.
WATER RESOURCES DIVISION
SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
ANNUAL REPORT
Fiscal Year 2021-2022
Dear Partners, Customers, and Stakeholders:
California is experiencing a new climate reality. Climate scientists have noted that the warmer weather is having accelerated impacts on diminishing water supplies.The good news is that the SFPUC has a long history of preparing for and adapting to change. Our robust conservation program includes rebates, tools, and resources to help customers use water wisely. At the same time, we continue to invest in diversifying and expanding our water supplies. Finding new sources of water is incredibly challenging in the Bay Area and it can take decades to implement water supply projects. Proactive planning, steady measured progress, and dedicated staff have helped us successfully bring new water supply resources online – such as groundwater, recycled water, and onsite reuse – that help us better prepare for a changing climate.
We know we are fortunate to have the Regional Water System, which gives us the ability to store and deliver our high-quality water, but we also know that water in California will always be precious and our work to conserve this resource is never done.
Our commitment to conservation is one of the reasons why water use in San Francisco has declined by 30% since 2005, despite population growth. We are now at an average residential usage of about 42 gallons per person per day, which is among the lowest in the state. We will continue to work with our customers on innovative ways we can maximize water efficiency – to not only help during this current drought, but to be better prepared for the next one.
We will continue to protect and sustain our water resources with the help of the communities we serve. By implementing new technology, relying on regional partnerships, and leveraging the innovation of the Bay Area, we are in a strong position to tackle the climate change challenges and other uncertainties that lie ahead.
Thank you,
Paula Kehoe, Director of Water Resources
CONTENTS
DROUGHT RESPONSE .......... 5
OUR WA
TER SOURCES ......... 7
WA
TER CONSERVATION
PROGRAM .................... 11
RECY
CLED WATER
PROGRAM .................... 18
ONSITE WA
TER REUSE
PROGRAM .................... 19
ALTERNA
TIVE WATER
SUPPLY PROGRAM ............. 21
INNOV
ATIONS PROGRAM ...... 25
LOOKING AHEAD ............. 28
WATER RESOURCES DIVISION HIGHLIGHTS
48 Operating
Onsite Water
Systems
32.3 Recycled Water
Used for Irrigation
MILLION
GALLONS
35 Additional Dry Year
Supplies Being
Planned
MILLION GALLONS
PER DAY OF
190,463 Devic es Distributed1
55,953 Showerheads
49,1
83 Toilets
29,
096 Clothes Washers
1,862 Urinals
2,205 Rain Barrels, Cis
terns,
and Graywater Kits2
396 Landscape3
9 Commercial Equipment
Gr
ants4
INCENTIVES
1 Aerators, toilet flappers, fill valves, pre-rinse spray valves, nozzles, soil moisture meters 2 Tr
acking of participation in measure started later than 2009 3 Landscape includes Wa
ter Efficient Irrigation Ordinance projects, landscape audits, community irrigation grants and rebates 4 Includes ice machines, indus
trial dishwashers, sterilization equipment
5 Does not include calls to the SFPUC’
s General Call Center regarding conservation
Water Conservation Program Activity Since 2009
19,857 C onservation
Info Line Calls5
18,766 Top User Letters2
3,028 Was te of Water Alerts2
1,306 Presenta tions & Field
Trips
OUTREACH &
EDUCATION
WATER MANAGEMENT
TOOLS
97,486
MyAccount
REGISTRATIONS2
108,517LEAK ALERTS 2
WATER-WISE
EVALUATIONS
48,961
Evaluations
Performed:
in person and
over the phone
4 SFPUC WA TER RESOURCES DIVISION ANNUAL REPOR T FY 2021-2022
DROUGHT RESPONSE
In response to severe and intensifying drought statewide, the Governor issued drought emergency proclamations calling upon all Californians to reduce water use. He also directed the State Water Resources Control Board to issue a temporary ban on the irrigation of non-functional, non-residential turf with potable water, among other water waste restrictions.
We quickly adopted local directives to implement the Governor’s orders to reduce demand. In November 2021, we declared a Level 1 water shortage emergency and called for a 10% voluntary systemwide reduction in water use. The emergency declaration also approved charging retail customers a temporary 5% drought surcharge and issuing wholesale customers monthly water budget reports. In May 2022, we moved to a Level 2 water shortage emergency and increased the systemwide reduction to 11%.
To help us reach our reduction goals, we launched a multi-lingual regional drought outreach campaign, “We’re in a drought, cut waste out” to highlight the drought and appeal to customers to take simple actions to reduce outdoor use and cut water waste. We increased our direct outreach to retail customers via bill messaging, newsletters, doorhangers, bill inserts, emails, and letters to top users. We launched ads on radio and television, search engine marketing, social media, billboards, and regional transit corridors in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Filipino.
We fostered key partnerships with community organizations, including the San Francisco Giants, the San Francisco Apartment Association, and the Golden Gate Restaurant Association.
SFPUC staff Alina Checuti and JP Streeter at an outreach event at Oracle Park 5 SFPUC WA TER RESOURCES DIVISION ANNUAL REPOR T FY 2021-2022
DROUGHT RESPONSE
Customers have responded to our call for
conservation as reflected by lower water use,
and increased participation in our conservation
assistance programs. Summertime water use across
the region remained relatively flat and avoided the
typical summertime peak. Since expanding drought
outreach to emphasize the urgent need to reduce
summertime use, systemwide water use decreased
over 10% through the summer and early fall, a time
when we normally see a marked increase in usage.
For more detailed information on our approach and
procedures for handling water shortages during
drought, see our Urban Water Management Plan
(UWMP).
Small actions can turn your water use
from wasteful to waterwise.
Fix leaks promptly. Limit irrigation.
We are here to help with rebates, tips, and resources.
Visit us online at sfpuc.org/SaveWaterNow
or reach us at [email protected].
We are in
a severe
drought.
Cut water
waste out.
Julie Ortiz, SFPUC Water Conservation Manager, being interviewed by the media SFPUC GM Dennis Herrera at the Save Our Water press event Our Water Conservation Plan describes our retail water conservation programs, estimated water savings and their effect on customer demand, and where we anticipate continued and future water savings.
While we anticipate another dry year ahead, we are confident that our combined commitment to water conservation will help us stretch our water supplies. We are thankful to all of our customers for their dedication to making water conservation a way of life.
6 SFPUC WA TER RESOURCES DIVISION ANNUAL REPOR T FY 2021-2022
OUR WATER SOURCES
The SFPUC Regional Water System (RWS) is a public asset that delivers high-quality drinking water to 2.7 million residents and businesses in the Bay Area. The system collects water from the Tuolumne River in the Sierra Nevada, from protected local watersheds in the East Bay and on the Peninsula, and groundwater stored in a deep aquifer located in San Francisco and San Mateo counties. The SFPUC delivers water to 26 wholesale customers in Alameda, Santa Clara, and San Mateo counties and provides direct retail water service to customers in San Francisco and some customers outside of San Francisco. The Bay Area Water Supply & Conservation Agency (BAWSCA) represents the wholesale customers and coordinates their water conservation activities.
By relying on multiple sources of water supply, we help protect our customers from potential disruptions from emergencies or natural disasters. A diverse mix of water sources also helps us be more resilient to long-term water vulnerabilities such as global climate change, regulatory changes that reduce the amount of water we can use from creeks and rivers, and population growth. By choosing the right water source for its best use, we are ensuring the reliability of our water supply for today and future generations.
Pacific
Ocean
San Francisco
Bay
Tuolumne
River
THE SFPUC REGIONAL WATER SYSTEM (RWS)
7 SFPUC WA TER RESOURCES DIVISION ANNUAL REPOR T FY 2021-2022 Irrigation2: 2 mgd
Municipal: 2 mgd
Single-Family Residential: 13 mgd
Commercial/Industrial: 11 mgd
Multi-Family Residential: 22 mgd
FY 2021-2022 San Francisco Residential Water Use
91 1
Gallons
State of
California
42 Gallons
San Francisco
RESIDENTIAL WATER USE
PER PERSON, PER DAY
WATER USED BY SAN FRANCISCO
RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS
842,754
PEOPLE
SAN FRANCISCO
POPULATION
35 Million
Gallons
Per Day
REGIONAL WATER
SYSTEM DELIVERIES3 RETAIL WATER USE3
1 From the State Water Resources Control Board average monthly residential R-GPCD for all hydrologic regions for 2021. 2 These da
ta are from dedicated irrigation accounts only, and do not include irrigation use from water accounts that jointly serve both indoor and outdoor demands. 3 The R
etail Water Use chart does not reflect water used for pipe flushing, firefighting, street cleaning, and water loss from supply-side main and pipe breaks.
Retail Customers Outside of SF: 4 mgd
Wholesale
Customers:
128 mgd
Retail
Customers:
54 mgd
FY 2021-2022 Regional Water System Deliveries and Retail Water Use 8 SFPUC WA TER RESOURCES DIVISION ANNUAL REPOR T FY 2021-2022 Groundwater is an essential part of the state and national drinking water supply. Eighty percent of Californians depend on groundwater for all or part of their drinking water supply as they have for generations.
The SFPUC’s groundwater supply comes from the 40-square-mile Westside Basin, an aquifer extending from Golden Gate Park in San Francisco southward through Millbrae. The depths of production wells installed by the SFPUC range from 270 to 750 feet below ground.
Our customers benefit from the storage, reliable yield, and consistent quality of water provided by this local resource.
The groundwater basin is a vital local drinking water resource for San Francisco and neighboring communities in San Mateo County.
To enable the responsible and sustainable management and protection of the Westside Basin, the SFPUC conducts groundwater level and quality monitoring as one of its top priorities. Our monitoring network has expanded to 101 wells since the first wells were installed in 1989. We collect data from these wells to assess the quality of the water and how the groundwater basin responds to our operations. This allows us to adapt our groundwater pumping in response to changes in the aquifer so we can sustain this important resource.
SAN FRANCISCO GROUNDWATER SUPPLY PROJECT
The San Francisco Groundwater Supply Project allows us to supplement our drinking water sources by blending a small amount of groundwater with water from the Regional Water System. We have begun ramping up production to blend an average of up to 1 mgd of groundwater to our water supply. Over the next several years, we will incrementally build up to an average of 4 mgd of groundwater production in San Francisco.
For more information about groundwater, or to view our water quality reports, visit sfpuc.org/programs/water-supply/groundwater.
OUR WATER SOURCES
Groundwater Program
Golden Gate Park Central groundwater well station site
West Sunset Groundwater well station site
9 SFPUC WA TER RESOURCES DIVISION ANNUAL REPOR T FY 2021-2022 Groundwater Program
10 SFPUC WA TER RESOURCES DIVISION ANNUAL REPOR T FY 2021-2022 San Francisco
Bay
Lake
Merced
Crystal
Springs
Reservoir
80 280
1 1
380
101
101
101
101
280
SAN FRANCISCO
BRISBANE
DALY
CITY
SOUTH
SAN FRANCISCO
PACIFICA
SAN BRUNO
MILLBRAE
BURLINGAME
HILLSBOROUGH
COLMA
San Francisco County
San Mateo County
For more than 100 years, the
Westside Groundwater Basin,
a 40-square mile under
ground
reservoir that extends from
Golden Gate Park in San F
rancisco
to the City of Burlingame, has
been a critical source of drinking
water for Daly City, South
San F
rancisco, and San Br
uno.
South Westside Groundwater Basin
North Westside Groundwater Basin
Groundwater Recovery Wells
OUR WATER SOURCES
REGIONAL GROUNDWATER STORAGE AND RECOVERY PROJECT
The Regional Groundwater Storage and Recovery Project is a partnership among the SFPUC, the California Water Service Company (serving South San Francisco and Colma), the City of Daly City, and the City of San Bruno. This project is a sustainable, conjunctive use project that has storage and recovery components. During years of normal or heavy rainfall, the SFPUC provides additional surface water from the Regional Water System to the partner agencies to reduce the amount of groundwater pumped from the South Westside Groundwater Basin.
Over time, the reduced groundwater pumping will result in increased storage of up to 20 billion gallons from recharge. The stored water will serve as an additional water supply during drought. The project consists of 13 production wells, 12 of which were completed as of 2020. The project was in a storage phase from May 2016 through June 2021 during which the SFPUC accumulated nearly 10 billion gallons of groundwater storage (approximately 30,400 acre-feet).
Rain or shine, we provide a comprehensive water conservation program for residents and businesses in San Francisco and our retail service area outside of the City. Our program offers a variety of incentives, services, and tools to improve water efficiency and reduce waste. In addition, the SFPUC has helped develop and implement local requirements that mandate water efficiency.
This year, the Water Conservation Program staff continued to provide a wide array of water-savings assistance, launched a new hot water recirculating pump rebate program, and expanded its role as a leader among water agencies in the use of automated meter data to detect and notify customers about potential leaks and problems. The SFPUC also provides leadership in sponsoring, organizing, and speaking at some of California’s leading water conservation forums, including the CalWEP Peer to Peer conference and the Water Conservation Showcase. For more information on current incentives, visit sfpuc.org/savewater.
WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAM
CONSERVATION (FY 2021-2022) OUTREACH & EDUCATION (FY 2021-2022) 14,870
Leak Alert
Notifications
1,155
Conservation
Phone Calls
267
Water Waste
Reports
44 Class Presentations
and Field Trips
817 TOTAL
Water-Wise
Evalutions/
Phone Consults
421
Single-
Family
238
Multi-
Family
109
Non-Residential
49 Landscape
2,780 TOTAL
Devices
Distributed 1,404 Aerators
730
Showerheads
646 Spray nozzles,
flappers,
fill valves,
etc.
450 TOTAL
Fixture Rebates
& Installations
197 Toilets &
Urinals
253
Clothes
Washers
LANDSCAPE PROGRAMS (FY 2021-2022)
2 Cisterns
37 Rain
Barrels
7Graywater
KitsFY 2021-2022 water conservation program activities
are estimated to have a potential 30-year water
savings of 237 million gallons.
237
MILLION
GALLONS
74 Single-Family
84 Multi-Family
79 Non-Residential
Millions of GallonsWater
Conservation
Savings Achieved
by Sector
11 SFPUC WA TER RESOURCES DIVISION ANNUAL REPOR T FY 2021-2022 Our free water-wise evaluations and free
devices are our most popular offerings.
Virtual and Onsite Water-Wise Evaluations
We conducted 817 evaluations for residential and commercial properties.
Outdoor evaluations helped identify irrigation efficiency improvements and plant recommendations for customers looking to improve water efficiency and reduce irrigation runoff. Field inspection staff manually ran irrigation systems, observed operation, flagged areas needing repairs, reconnected loose drip irrigation fittings and showed customers their sprinkler timer programming features. Our water-wise evaluations also helped customers identify old plumbing fixtures that qualify for financial replacement incentives and provided free water-efficient plumbing devices, including showerheads, aerators, and toilet leak repair parts.
Free High-Efficiency Plumbing Devices
We provided 2,780 water-efficient showerheads, faucet aerators, garden spray hose nozzles, soil moisture meters, and toilet leak repair parts to help residential and commercial properties achieve immediate water savings.
All retail customers are eligible to receive free plumbing devices after they complete a free phone consultation to determine their eligibility.
NEW! Hot Water Recirculation Pump Rebate
Hot water recirculation pumps reduce wait times for hot water to arrive at showerheads and taps, saving water and money. The pumps pull hot water from a water heater, while simultaneously sending cool water from the hot water lines back to the water heater to be reheated and reused. Pumps are either installed at water heaters or under kitchen or bathroom sinks that have electrical outlets. This new program will also help us measure the impact of these pumps on water usage as we will conduct a study after the first year of the program is completed.
WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAM
Hot water recirculation pump
12 SFPUC WA TER RESOURCES DIVISION ANNUAL REPOR T FY 2021-2022 Commercial Equipment Retrofit Rebate Program
The Commercial Equipment Retrofit Rebate Program provides funding for businesses to implement equipment efficiency upgrades. Businesses can receive rebates for medical equipment, restaurant equipment, commercial laundry retrofits, and custom site-specific equipment retrofits. This year, the American Linen & Supply Company (ALSCO) partnered with us to increase the water efficiency of their washing machine water use by installing an ultrapure wastewater treatment and recycling system. The system is engineered specifically for graywater treatment and energy recovery and reduces water consumption by up to 55%.
This project is estimated to save more than 35 million gallons over the next 10 years.
WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAM
Plumbing Fixture Replacement Program (PREP)
To help accelerate the replacement of old, water-wasting fixtures, we continued the Plumbing Fixture Replacement Program (PREP), a toilet and urinal replacement program to help customers retrofit some of the last inefficient fixtures in our retail service area. During this fiscal year, 197 efficient toilets were installed through the PREP program, bringing the overall program total to over 5,000 efficient toilets and urinals since the program launched in 2016.
Clothes Washer Rebates
We provide rebates of $100 per washer for the purchase and installation of qualifying residential ENERGYSTAR efficient clothes washers in our retail service areas, and rebates of $500 per washer to customers installing qualifying coin-operated, high-efficiency, commercial-style clothes washers. In FY 2021-2022, 253 rebates were processed.
Ultra-Pure Water Process Equipment at ALSCO
13 SFPUC WA TER RESOURCES DIVISION ANNUAL REPOR T FY 2021-2022
WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAM
Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper (QWEL)
Training and Certification Program
The QWEL program is an opportunity for landscape contractors, gardeners, and building maintenance staff to learn advanced skills in designing and maintaining water-efficient irrigation systems and landscapes. The coursework covers sustainable landscaping, irrigation system maintenance and troubleshooting, soils, and irrigation scheduling. This year, a total of 34 students attended our virtual QWEL training. The QWEL program is unique in that it is taught by certified professionals, provides direct landscape experience for California’s drought prone environment, and culminates in an examination and certification process.
Rainwater Harvesting Program
Capturing rainwater at homes and businesses can reduce potable water used for irrigation and reduce flows to the SFPUC’s combined sewer system during storm events. Our Rainwater Harvesting Program provides rebates for rain barrels and cisterns.
Eligible customers can receive a $100 rebate for up to two rain barrels or a $350 rebate for one cistern. The SFPUC’s Rainwater Harvesting Program provided residents and businesses with 37 rain barrels and 2 cisterns this year.
Laundry-To-Landscape Program
We launced our new in-house Laundry-to-Landscape (L2L)
Program in FY 2021-2022, which offers residents a $100 rebate on essential laundry-to- landscape components installed in a simple graywater system. This year, 7 L2L rebates were provided to customers. Program participants received virtual webinar trainings, access to a free installation tool kit, and virtual technical assistance to help design, install, and maintain their graywater systems.
14 SFPUC WA TER RESOURCES DIVISION ANNUAL REPOR T FY 2021-2022
WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAM
Large Landscape Grant Program & Community Garden Assistance The Large Landscape Grant Program provides assistance to customers with landscapes over 10,000 square feet who implement irrigation and planting improvements that reduce water use. To date, 12 completed projects have received funding through this program, representing about 63 acres of land.
We help to administer San Francisco’s Water Efficient Irrigation Ordinance that requires landscapes to meet water-efficient standards. New landscape projects calculate their annual total water usage and ensure it is lower than the total allowed water budget set by San Francisco. In FY 2021-2022, plans for 20 projects representing over 7 acres of landscape were approved. Since the ordinance’s passage in 2009, 284 projects have been reviewed.
The Community Garden Grant Program waives the cost of irrigation meters to help customers better monitor and efficiently manage water use. We continued to issue monthly informational water use reports to 9 sites that participated in our Community Garden Grant Program.
Garden for the Environment Garden
Educator Hana Park works with a
volunteer to repair irrigation
Water Conservation in Schools
and Gardens
We are committed to fostering the next
generation of environmental stewards by
providing the communities we serve with
educational resources. In FY 2021-2022, we
sponsored 22 field trips to our water-wise
demonstration garden and 22 presentations
for San Francisco students, all designed to
teach students how they can help protect our
natural resources and prevent pollution.
Florence Fang Community Farm
Students at Daniel Webster Elementary School
learn how to garden
15 SFPUC WA TER RESOURCES DIVISION ANNUAL REPOR T FY 2021-2022
WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAM
Leak Alert Program
Customers have shared their appreciation for our Leak
Alert Program because it notifies them of continuous water consumption at their property, helping them to fix costly leaks quickly. Utilizing our automated meter infrastructure, we send alerts to customers with two days of constant use by phone, text message, email, letter, and door hangers. This year, the SFPUC led the way among water utilities in leak alert efforts by expanding the program to include alerts to commercial and large multi-family accounts (6+ units) with three days of continuous consumption and a significant increase in late night water use. In FY 2021-2022, over 14,000 leak alert notifications were issued.
This year, we conducted a rigorous analysis of the water savings of new large multi-family and commercial customer alerts.
This analysis reviewed water use trends from 2020-2022 and the effect of the leak alert notifications on leak duration. This analysis demonstrated a water savings of over 19 million gallons per year. This is in addition to the 54 million gallons saved per year through single-family, small multi-family, and irrigation alerts and brings the overall program water savings to 73 million gallons per year. The SFPUC also continued working with the Alliance for Water Efficiency by participating in the AMI-Enabled Leak Notification Study. This study will promote leak detection on a national level and share our findings to help other utilities develop similar programs.
Estimated Leak Alert Program Water Savings in FY 2021-2022 73 Million Gallons
My Account Customer Portal
The SFPUC’s My Account
web portal helps customers
easily pay and view their
water bills online and see
their hourly, daily, weekly,
and monthly water use,
which can help identify water
use patterns and unusual
spikes in water use. Since its
launch in 2014, registration
for My Account has steadily
increased to 97,486 users.
Residential My Account users
can also track how their water use aligns with a conservation target of daily use under 50 gallons per person per day. Account holders can register at myaccount.sfwater.org.
Single-Family
Water Savings:
29 million gallons
Small Multi-Family
Water Savings:
20.5 million
gallons
Irrigation Accounts
Water Savings:
4.5 million gallons
Commercial &
Large Multi-Family
Water Savings:
19 million gallons
16 SFPUC WA TER RESOURCES DIVISION ANNUAL REPOR T FY 2021-2022
WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAM
Waste of Water Program and Top User Outreach
We administer water waste restrictions come rain or shine. Residents can report water waste through San Francisco’s 311 system. We partner with reported properties to provide tips and best practices to maximize their water efficiency and reduce water waste. This year, in addition to emailing 267 waste of water courtesy notifications, our staff has been able to visit sites and help residents and businesses identify irrigation leaks that can waste thousands of gallons per day.
During the drought emergency, the SFPUC increased its frequency of Top User Notifications. These courtesy notifications inform customers that they are using the most water in their customer class and offer conservation assistance to help them save water.
Free Water-Wise evaluations can help find leaks that can waste thousands of gallons per day. 17 SFPUC WA TER RESOURCES DIVISION ANNUAL REPOR T FY 2021-2022 Westside Recycled Water Treatment Facility
18 SFPUC WA TER RESOURCES DIVISION ANNUAL REPOR T FY 2021-2022 Water is too precious a resource to use just once. Using recycled water for non-drinking purposes such as landscape irrigation, toilet flushing, street cleaning, and cooling helps preserve drinking water supplies, especially during droughts. We continued to work with our partners at Harding Park, Fleming, and Sharp Park Golf Courses so that we can provide recycled water for irrigation.
In San Francisco, construction is almost complete at the Westside Enhanced Water Recycling Project. The project includes a new recycled water treatment facility, storage reservoirs, and pump stations to deliver recycled water. Construction has been completed on approximately 8 miles of recycled water pipelines. The irrigation system retrofits are wrapping up at Golden Gate Park and Lincoln Park Golf Course with recycled water deliveries expected in summer 2023. This project will save approximately 2 million gallons of potable water every day. Water produced by this project will be used primarily to irrigate Golden Gate Park and Lincoln Park Golf Course, and for future uses at the San Francisco Zoo. For more information about the Recycled Water Program, visit sfpuc.org/programs/water-supply/recycled-water.
RECYCLED WATER PROGRAM
Led by the efforts of the SFPUC, San Francisco became the first municipality in the country to adopt a groundbreaking program in 2012 that encourages buildings to collect, treat, and reuse water onsite to meet non-potable demands such as toilet flushing and irrigation. San Francisco’s Onsite Water Reuse Program established a streamlined process for allowing alternate water sources, such as rainwater, stormwater, foundation drainage, graywater, and blackwater, to be reused in commercial, mixed- use, and residential buildings. In 2015, the Non-potable Water Ordinance started to require onsite water systems in buildings.
Now it is mandatory for new development projects of 100,000 square feet or more to install and operate an onsite non-potable water system.
Over the past year, we received 3 applications to install onsite water systems. This brings the total number of water budget applications to 119 projects. There is a total of 48 operating onsite water systems to-date. By 2040, the total potable water offset for the Onsite Water Reuse Program will be approximately
1.3 million gallons per day. Additionally, we published the Onsite Water Recycling E-Book, which highlights the benefits and drivers behind onsite non-potable reuse, provides best practices, and includes case studies of onsite water systems around the world. We also published the Guidebook for Commissioning an Onsite Water Treatment System, which provides information on how to start up the operation of an onsite water system. For more information, visit sfpuc.org/npo.
We are on the forefront of innovation in advancing onsite water reuse in North America. As chair of the National Blue Ribbon Commission for Onsite Non-potable Water Systems, we are leading a national collaborative of municipalities, water utilities, and public health agencies from 12 states, the District of Columbia, US EPA, and US Army Corps of Engineers Research and Development Center, the city of Vancouver, and the city of Toronto. The National Blue Ribbon Commission is focused on addressing key institutional and regulatory barriers to widespread adoption of onsite non-potable water systems.
Efforts have included developing a risk-based water quality framework for onsite water reuse and establishing model policies for municipalities that support local implementation of onsite water reuse. For more information about the National Blue Ribbon Commission, visit www.watereuse.org/nbrc.
ONSITE WATER REUSE PROGRAM
The Living MachineTM at the SFPUC Headquarters
19 SFPUC WA TER RESOURCES DIVISION ANNUAL REPOR T FY 2021-2022 20 SFPUC WA TER RESOURCES DIVISION ANNUAL REPOR T FY 2021-2022
EXPLORATORIUM
The Exploratorium is a 21st century learning laboratory, equipped with oceanographic equipment, which measures the height and direction of tides, a rainwater harvesting cistern, and a unique Bay water heating and cooling system. Built to achieve LEED Platinum designation, the Exploratorium captures rainwater from the roof for toilet flushing purposes, and uses high-efficiency dual-flush toilets, waterless urinals, and low-flow faucets.
Its innovative Bay water system eliminates the need for a cooling tower, thereby saving 2 million gallons of water annually.
SALESFORCE TOWER
The Salesforce Tower is a commercial office building located at First and Mission streets. To leverage the building’s existing dual plumbing for non-potable uses, the building installed an onsite water reuse system.
The building’s blackwater treatment system captures all of the building’s wastewater, then treats and reuses it for toilet flushing and drip irrigation.
The system is estimated to save 8 million gallons of potable water per year.
UN PLAZA FOUNDATION DRAINAGE PROJECT
The UN Plaza in San Francisco’s Civic Center neighborhood is a publicly owned Plaza. It was built in 1975 over an underground branch of Hayes Creek and, as a result, construction led to foundation drainage issues.
Recognizing foundation drainage as a valuable alternate water source, San Francisco Public Works implemented a system which uses multiple step media filtration and disinfection to treat the water for reuse for municipal street sweeping, fountain make-up water, and irrigation. It was supported by a grant from the SFPUC.
UN Plaza Foundation Drainage Project
ONSITE WATER REUSE PROGRAM
Rainwater harvesting at Exploratorium
Photo credit: Fabrice Florin from Mill Valley, USA /CC BY-SA Salesforce Building
21 SFPUC WA TER RESOURCES DIVISION ANNUAL REPOR T FY 2021-2022
ALTERNATIVE WATER SUPPLY PROGRAM
The Regional Water System (RWS) has served the San Francisco Bay Area for almost 100 years and will continue to be the cornerstone of our water supply for San Francisco as well as our suburban retail and wholesale customers in the region. But issues such as climate variability, droughts, earthquakes, regulatory changes, and population growth require that we consider new water supplies and creative solutions to plan for our future needs. These new water supply options such as expanding storage, groundwater banking, transfers from other agencies, purified water, and desalination are being evaluated as part of the Alternative Water Supply Program that was established under the Water Resources Division in 2020.
Daly City Recycled Water Expansion
This project has been designed to produce up to 3 million gallons per day of tertiary-treated recycled water during the irrigation season (roughly 7 months).
On an average annual basis, this is equivalent to 1.25 million gallons per day or 1,400 acre-feet per year. The project is envisioned to provide recycled water to cemeteries and other smaller irrigation customers, offsetting existing groundwater pumping from the South Westside Groundwater Basin, thereby increasing groundwater storage. The project is a regional partnership among the SFPUC, the City of Daly City, and the California Water Service Company. SFPUC customers will benefit from the increased reliability of the South Westside Basin for additional drinking water supply during droughts.
ACWD-USD Purified Water Partnership
This project could provide a new purified water supply utilizing Union Sanitary District’s (USD) treated effluent, which is currently discharged to the Bay. Purified water produced by advanced water treatment at USD in the East Bay could be transmitted to the Quarry Lakes Groundwater Recharge Area to supplement recharge into the Niles Cone Groundwater Basin as part of an indirect potable reuse project. Alternatively, purified water could be delivered to the SFPUC RWS through a new intertie with Alameda County Water District (ACWD).
Google Earth image of Quarry Lakes
22 SFPUC WA TER RESOURCES DIVISION ANNUAL REPOR T FY 2021-2022
ALTERNATIVE WATER SUPPLY PROGRAM
SF-Peninsula Regional PureWater
This project is a purified water project (potable reuse) that could provide between 6 and 12 million gallons of water supply per day through reservoir augmentation at Crystal Springs Reservoir, which is a facility of the RWS, or directly into regional and local distribution systems. Treated effluent from Silicon Valley Clean Water and/or the City of San Mateo would flow through an advanced water treatment plant to produce purified water that meets state and federal drinking water quality standards. The purified water would then be blended with regional surface water supplies.
Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion
The Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion (LVE) Project is a multi- agency storage project that will enlarge the existing reservoir located in northeastern Contra Costa County from 160,000 acre- feet to 275,000 acre-feet. While the existing reservoir is owned and operated by Contra Costa Water District (CCWD), the expanded reservoir will have regional benefits for numerous water agencies and their customers. The project is being managed by a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) that was set up this year. The SFPUC is a member of the JPA and is represented on its Board. Meanwhile, CCWD is leading the planning, design, and environmental review efforts. The additional storage capacity from the LVE Project would provide a dry year water supply benefit to the SFPUC when paired with a water supply source to fill the storage and conveyance to deliver water from LVE to SFPUC’s service area.
Lower Crystal Springs Reservoir
23 SFPUC WA TER RESOURCES DIVISION ANNUAL REPOR T FY 2021-2022
ALTERNATIVE WATER SUPPLY PROGRAM
Conveyance Alternatives
We are considering two main pathways to
move water from storage in a prospective LVE
Project to the SFPUC’s service area: either
directly to RWS facilities or indirectly via
an exchange with partner agencies. We are
evaluating the preferred conveyance pathways,
capital requirements, and capacity to support
deliveries from the LVE project.
Bay Area Brackish Water Desalination
The Bay Area Brackish Water Desalination Project is a partnership with CCWD, East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD), Valley Water, and Zone 7 Water Agency. ACWD and Marin Municipal Water District (MMWD) may also participate in the project. The project could treat brackish water from CCWD’s existing Mallard Slough intake in Contra Costa County. Currently, the SFPUC is considering it as a source of supply for storage in LVE. While the allocations remain to be determined among partners, the SFPUC is considering an allocation of up to 5 mgd to combine with storage at LVE as a dry year supply source.
Suisun Bay, Benicia, CA
24 SFPUC WA TER RESOURCES DIVISION ANNUAL REPOR T FY 2021-2022
ALTERNATIVE WATER SUPPLY PROGRAM
Calaveras Reservoir Expansion
This storage project envisions the expansion of the
existing Calaveras Reservoir to create up to 289,000
acre-feet of additional capacity to store excess RWS
supplies or other source water in wet and normal
years. In addition to reservoir enlargement, the
project would involve infrastructure to pump water to
the reservoir, such as pump stations and transmission
facilities. Unlike the other regional projects under
review in this program, no external partners are
anticipated for this project. We have conducted a
preliminary analysis reviewing potential dam raise
scenarios, which indicated that an expansion of the
dam at various elevations is technically feasible.
Conveyance constraints are currently being evaluated.
Bay Area Regional Reliability Partnership
We are part of the Bay Area Regional Reliability (BARR) Partnership which is looking for ways to collaborate to secure regional reliability especially during droughts. Through BARR, we are working with ACWD, BAWSCA, CCWD, EBMUD, MMWD, Valley Water, and Zone 7 Water Agency to identify and develop opportunities for collaboration to improve water supply reliability throughout the region. With grant support from the US Bureau of Reclamation, we are engaged in a pilot study called the Shared Water Access Program (BARR SWAP) to evaluate opportunities to share and convey water supplies among partners. The partner agencies have completed three separate pilot projects between 2020 and 2022 through BARR SWAP to test conveyance pathways and identify potential hurdles to better prepare for sharing water during a future drought or emergency. A strategy report identifying opportunities and considerations will document and reflect these pilot projects and will be completed in the coming year.
Calaveras Reservoir
In 2016, OneWaterSF formalized a new way of thinking,
adopting a truly innovative approach to making the
most of our limited resources. The term “one water” is
an integrated planning and implementation approach
to managing finite water resources for long-term
resiliency and reliability, meeting both community and
ecosystem need.
The OneWaterSF approach encourages working
across traditional silos to create additional benefits
and efficiencies. We define resources broadly to
include water, energy, financial, human, community
partnerships, and natural resources. Our focus has
been on a cultural shift in our approach to resource
management that embraces collaboration, innovation,
and technology.
The Innovations Program promotes exploration
of new ways we can conserve and reuse water,
recover resources, and diversify our water supply.
The Program facilitates testing of forward-thinking
ideas, technologies, and research to help meet San
Francisco’s long-term potable and non-potable water
needs. It is also an opportunity to develop partnerships with the community, industry, developers, technology
vendors, and others to ensure long-term water
resources sustainability in San Francisco. Through the
Innovations Program, we continue to explore several
cutting-edge ideas.
INNOVATIONS PROGRAM
SFPUC Wins Recycled Water Agency of the Year
In September 2022, the WateReuse Association (WRA) of
California recognized the SFPUC’s innovative strategies by honoring us with the Recycled Water Agency of the Year
Award. Sustainable water management has always been at
the forefront of the SFPUC’s mission, while we also lead the utility industry in finding solutions to the challenges our water supply faces. The WRA applauded our innovation in testing atmospheric water generation and creating funding for
onsite water recycling facilities at Anchor Brewing Company in San Francisco.
Fan Lau, Senobar Lanigan, Taylor Nokhoudian, Paula Kehoe, Barbara Palacios, YinLan Zhang, Annahita Fallah
25 SFPUC WA TER RESOURCES DIVISION ANNUAL REPOR T FY 2021-2022
INNOVATIONS PROGRAM
Atmospheric Water Generation
We are piloting an atmospheric water generation (AWG) project in San Francisco. AWG is the process of extracting water from ambient air. The goals for our AWG project include testing the ability to produce water for irrigation purposes in a community garden setting, testing the ability to produce water that meets drinking water standards, engaging the community about
water, and understanding the value of AWG for our future water supply portfolio. Two AWG hydro panels were installed at the SF Botanical Garden and Hummingbird Farm in Fall 2021 to begin collecting water quality data and information on the quantity of water produced.
Wastewater Heat Recovery
We offer grants through our Onsite Water Reuse Grant Program to encourage retail water users to reduce water supply usage by collecting, treating, and reusing water onsite. We modified the program to incorporate a wastewater heat recovery component.
Wastewater heat recovery refers to the extraction of thermal energy from warm wastewater, or treated non-potable water, and subsequent beneficial use of this energy to offset existing energy requirements. Integrating wastewater heat recovery with onsite water reuse can offset some or all the energy needed for onsite wastewater treatment.
Supply-Side Water Loss Prevention
Through our City Distribution Division, we implement a supply- side Water Loss Reduction Program to monitor, analyze and reduce water lost from pipe and main breaks in our infrastructure.
The program evaluates detailed annual water loss audits and determines the best mix of cost-effective water loss reduction measures. Staff continued to implement preventative water loss actions, including pressure management and proactive leak detection technologies using acoustic-based systems and satellite imagery. We continued our main replacement program which replaced on average approximately 9 miles of pipe per year in the last 10 years. When leaks and breaks occur, our repair teams respond quickly. Staff continued to prepare for new statewide water loss standards that will become effective in 2024.
Solar-powered panel capable of harvesting 4 to 5 liters of water per day from the air at the Hummingbird Farm Community Garden 26 SFPUC WA TER RESOURCES DIVISION ANNUAL REPOR T FY 2021-2022
INNOVATIONS PROGRAM
Purified Water Program
We installed a temporary treatment system at the end of the water recycling system at our headquarters to operate and test a purified water system. The treatment included ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis, disinfection with ultraviolet light, and advanced oxidation. The PureWaterSF research project produced thousands of data points analyzed by third-party laboratories to look at a wide range of water quality parameters. The research also compared purified water to drinking water standards and concluded that advanced water treatment produces consistently high-quality water, even at the building scale. The research marked the beginning of our investigation of purified water as a water supply solution in San Francisco. PureWaterSF also provided us with the opportunity to engage operators, staff, and our local communities on purified water as part of a future water supply. This year, we completed a thorough review of the opportunities and challenges for purified water in San Francisco. We are moving aggressively to make purified water a reality throughout our service area.
Recycled Water Process
Purified Water Process
SFPUC HQ
Ultrafiltration
Source
Water
Reverse
Osmosis
Bacteria
Organics
Virus
Salt
Coarse Materials
Real time monitoringGrab sampling
Living Machine TM
UV Light and
Advanced Oxidation
The SFPUC PureWater System
27 SFPUC WA TER RESOURCES DIVISION ANNUAL REPOR T FY 2021-2022 Lake Merced is made up of four
interconnected lakes and provides
a vital link for wildlife, particularly
migrating birds. The lake also provides
a regional recreational venue offering
fishing, boating, bicycling, and wildlife
viewing. In an emergency, Lake Merced
water can also be used for firefighting
or sanitation purposes if no other
sources of water are available. The
SFPUC aims to maintain water
levels in the lake to support various
recreational activities and provide a
reliable non-potable water supply for
emergencies.
Lake Merced
LOOKING AHEAD
From 1934 to 2015, the Pacific Rod and Gun Club operated skeet and trap shooting facilities at Lake Merced. This resulted in lead shotgun pellets and other debris falling onto the site and into the lake. The SFPUC conducted an initial site remediation to address elevated levels of lead and polyaromatic hydrocarbons in the soil as a result of historical club activities. San Francisco’s Recreation and Parks Department (SFRPD) published the Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) in December 2021 to facilitate recreational redevelopment of the site. After the final EIR is certified, demolition and final remediation is scheduled for 2023.
When the final site cleanup is completed, SFRPD will implement an open bid solicitation process to facilitate site redevelopment for recreational use. The proposed project would be to create a recreational facility that can be used flexibly and that is respectful of the site’s past while serving the needs of the local community for a facility offering a wide variety of outdoor recreational activities, including picnic areas, playgrounds, boat docks, a ropes course, a skateboarding park, birdwatching benches, basketball, and multipurpose sports courts.
28 SFPUC WA TER RESOURCES DIVISION ANNUAL REPOR T FY 2021-2022 5(67$85$17
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Figure 1
Conceptual Site Plan: Larger Boathouse
SOURCE: San Francisco Public Works SFO\17xxxx\D170626.00 - Lake Merced West Recreation\05 Graphics-GIS-Modeling\Illustrator N
Lake Merced
LOOKING AHEAD
LAKE MERCED CONCEPTUAL SITE PLAN
29 SFPUC WA TER RESOURCES DIVISION ANNUAL REPOR T FY 2021-2022 Water Resources Division
525 Golden Gate Avenue, 10th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94102
sfpuc.org/programs/water-supply
sfpuc.org/savewater
November 2022