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MEMORANDUM
Date: January 11, 2023
To: Commissioner Newsha Ajami, President
Commissioner Sophie Maxwell, Vice President
Commissioner Tim Paulson
Commissioner Tony Rivera
Commissioner Kate Stacy
From: Dennis Herrera, General Manager
Through: Steven R. Ritchie, Assistant General Manager, Water
Subject: Onsite Water Reuse Program Update – FY 21/22
_______________________________________________________________ Onsite Water Reuse Program Key Updates
In FY 21 -22, City and County of San Franc isco staff continue d to review and approve onsite water reuse projects and provide technical assistance to projects complying with San Francisco’s Non -potable Water Ordinance (NPO).
Notable program highlights for FY 21-22 include:
• Approved 3 new water budg et applications: a rainwater harvesting system proposed at the City College of San Francisco’s STEAM Center, a rainwater harvesting system at the San Francisco Wholesale Flower Market, and a graywater and rainwater reuse system at 555 Bryant Street;
• Amended the Non -potable Ordinance in October 2021 to further increase potable water savings from new developments and increase opportunities for cost-effective systems;
• Published the Guidebook for Commissioning an Onsite Water Reuse System in San Francisco , which outlines the overall process for commissioning an onsite system, discusses the key roles of
stakeholders, and provides guidance on how to inspect and test each individual treatment process and the overall treatment system; • Provided grant assistance to Anchor Brewing Company to complete construction of a water recycling system that captur es and treat s the brewery’s process water (collected from bottle and tank rinsing and equipment cleaning), and reus es the water for a range of similar applications and with a capacity to recycle up to 20 million gallons of water annually;
• Completed a memorandum for the Board of Supervisors that reviewed solar thermal water preheating systems, geothermal hot water preheating systems, wastewater heat recovery systems, including a description of the technology, considerations of the advantag es and disadvantages of each technology in the context of San Francisco, considerations for different scales of implementation, and recommended opportunities for implementing these systems; and • Completed an additional memorandum for the Board of Supervisors that provided information on district -scale water reuse systems and considerations for implementing a district-scale reuse system.
Figure 1: 1550 Mission Collects and Treats Rainwater and Graywater to Supply Toilet Flushing Demands in a High-Rise Residential Tower To Comply With the Non-potable Ordinance
Background: San Francisco’s Onsite Water Reuse Program
In September 2012, the City and County of San Francisco adopted the NPO. It added Article 12C to the San Francisco Health Code allowing for the collection, treatment, and use of alternate water sources such as graywater, rainwater,
stormwater, blackwater, and foundation drainage for non-potable applications such as toilet flushing and irrigation.
A streamlined permitting process was developed in collaboration with the SFPUC, San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH), San Francisco Department of Building Inspection (SFDBI), and San Francisco Department of Public Works (SFPW). Water quality, monitoring, and reporting requirements were established, giving regulatory oversight and management over onsite non-potable water systems to SFDPH.
In 2013, the Board of Supervisors amended the NPO to allow district-scale non- potable water systems consisting of two or more buildings sharing non-potable water. Subsequently, the Ordinance was amended in July 2015 to mandate the installation of onsite water systems in new developments of 250,000 gross square feet or more. The Ordinance was amended again in 2016 to clarify implementation requirements for district-scale systems.
Most recently in October 2021, the Board of Supervisors amended the NPO to further increase opportunities for potable water savings from new developments and streamline the requirements. The ordinance amendments require new development projects that apply for a site permit after January 1, 2022 of 100,000 gross square feet or more to install and operate an onsite water reuse system. The required alternate water sources and required non - potable uses are based on development project type. For commercial buildings, the project must meet its toilet and urinal flushing and drain trap priming demands through the collection, treatment, and use of available blackwater and condensate. For residential and mixed -use buildings, the project must meet its toilet and urina l flushing, irrigation, clothes washing, and drain trap priming demands through the collection, treatment, and use of available graywater and condensate. The requirements apply to both development projects consisting of a single building or multiple buildi ngs. The October 2021 ordinance amendments also accomplished the following:
• Removed the requirement to capture rainwater collection from the NPO;
• Exempted buildings that meet the Planning Code definition of hospital, health service, and institutional healthcare use;
• Exempted buildings that meet the Planning Code definition of production, distribution, repair (PDR) and industrial use; • Exempted 100% homeless supportive housing and 100% affordable housing;
• Increased SFDPH review fees to cover inspections and extent of work required for approval and oversight; and
• Strengthened SFDPH enforcement by increasing maximum penalties and mak ing enforcement processes consistent with existing and new SFDPH procedures.
To continuously improve inter -agency collaboration, the SFPUC and SFDPH meet monthly to review the status of onsite water reuse projects and all four City agencies meet quarterly to share updates.
For more information, visit www.sfpuc.org/npo.
Figure 2: 49 South Van Ness, the City and County of San Francisco’s New Permitting Center, Collects and Treat Graywater and Rainwater to Supply the Building’s Toilet and Urinal Flushing and Irrigation Demands to Comply with the Non-potable Ordinance
Current Onsite Water Reuse Projects and Potable Water
Offsets
Over the past year, the SFPUC 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. The total potable water offset for the Onsite Water Reuse Program is approximately 0. 3 million gallons per day (MGD). By 2040, the expected potable water offset will be approximately 1.3 MGD.
An estimated 66% of the total number of projects are implementing stormwater or rainwater harvesting systems to comply with the Stormwater Management Ordinance (SMO). In addition, there are 30 graywater treatment systems and 7 blackwater treatment systems that have submitted water budget applications and are in the design, implementation, or operational phase. F igures 3 and 4 and Table 1 provide an overview of San Francisco’s onsite water reuse projects.
The SFPUC developed case studies to feature some of San Francisco’s onsite water reuse projects, as well as other innovative water recycling and resource recovery projects across the globe. As more of these systems are installed in San Francisco, they will be added to the case studies report. To view the case studies, visit www.sfpuc.org/npo under More Resources.
Figure 3: San Francisco’s Onsite Water Reuse Projects Shown by Project Initiation Year
Figure 4: San Francisco’s Voluntary, Mandatory, and Grant Onsite Water Reuse Projects
Onsite Water Reuse Grant Program
The SFPUC’s Onsite Water Reuse Grant Program provides grant funding to encourage retail water users to reduce SFPUC water supply usage by collecting, treating, and using alternate water sources including rainwater, stormwater, graywater, foundation drainage, air conditioning condensate, and blackwater for non -potable uses such as toilet flushing, irrigation, and cooling tower makeup.
Grant applicants must demonstrate the ability to achieve at least one of the following thresholds to eligible for grant funding:
• Projects that replace at least 450,000 gallons of SFPUC water per year are eligible for grant funding up to $200,000; or
• Projects that replace at least 1,000,000 gallons of SFPUC water per year are eligible for grant funding up to $500,000; or
• Projects that replace at least 3,000,000 gallons of SFPUC water per year are eligible for grant funding up to $1,000,000.
The SFPUC lowered the threshold of eligibility to 450,000 gallons of water per year offset to incentivize existing dual -plumbed buildings with no current recycled water source to install onsite water reuse systems. Recognizing that these buildings would likely otherwise not install onsite water reuse systems, the SFPUC is offering financial ass istance to encourage additional potable water savings.
Additionally, projects that are installing an onsite water reuse system on a mandatory basis in compliance with the Non -potable Water Ordinance can apply for a grant if water savings can be demonstrate d above and beyond the requirements. As an example, a mandatory project consisting of a commercial building reusing blackwater and condensate for toilet and urinal flushing and drain trap priming could elect to use excess available blackwater to meet cooling tower make-up water demands.
Furthermore, through the Onsite Water Reuse Program, the SFPUC is incentivizing the implementation of wastewater heat recovery systems within development projects installing onsite water reuse systems. The Grant Program requires all projects applying for a grant to estimate the potential energy offset that can be achieved with wastewater heat recovery. In addition, mixed-used and multi-family buildings that are grant recipients are required to implement wastewater heat recove ry. SFPUC’s goal in integrating wastewater heat recovery into the Grant Program is to gather more information about the potential benefits of these systems and understand how implementation could occur successfully in San Francisco.
Figure 5: San Francisco Public Works Received a Grant From the SFPUC to Implement a Foundation Drainage Reuse System in UN Plaza to Treat the Water for Reuse for Municipal Street Sweeping, Fountain Make-up Water, and Irrigation
National Blue Ribbon Commission for Onsite Non -potable Water Systems
The SFPUC has also been 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, the SFPUC is leading a national collaborative of municipalities, water utilities, and public health agencies from 1 2 states, the District of Columbia, US EPA, and US Army Engineer 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. As a result of the peer exchange, joint policy development, and rigorous research, there has been a shift in the perspective of many participating public health regulators who now have the appropriate framework and tools to develop regulations. California, Colorado, Minnesota, Washington, and Hawaii are advancing regulations or policies supporting onsite reuse, while others including Austin and Alaska are considering similar steps forward.
Supported by the WateReuse Association, the National Blue Ribbon Commission continues to r efine and expand fit -for-purpose specifications for
alternative onsite sources waters, non-potable end uses and natural treatment systems (i.e., wetlands), enhance available operator training materials and develop certificate program, improve decision -making tools, and p erform research on key technical areas (e.g., bacterial inactivation and/or removal from onsite non-potable water systems).
For more information about the National Blue Ribbon Commission, visit www.watereuse.org/nbrc.
cc: Jim Blue and Ken Payne, SFPUC-WQD
Steve Panelli, SFDBI-PID
June Weintraub and Doug Obana, SFDPH-EH
Eleanor Tang and Jon Kwong, SFPW
Table 1: Current Onsite Water Reuse Projects
Project Name
Onsite Alternate Water Sources Non-potable Applications Rainwater
Stormwater
Graywater
Blackwater
Foundation
Drainage
Condensate/Blo
wdown
Brewery
process water
Toilet Flushing
Irrigation
Cooling/
Heating
Street
Sweeping
Brewery
processes
Fiscal Year 2012-2013
55 9th Street X X
SF Public Safety Building X X X X
45 Lansing X X
350 Mission X X X X
Market Street Place X X
Fiscal Year 2013-2014
Salesforce Tower X X X
200 6th Street X X X
Alta Laguna X X
535 Mission X X
333 Brannan X X X
1255 Columbus X X
St Anthony’s X X
SFMOMA X X X X X
250 4th Street X X
345 Brannan X X
181 Fremont X X X X
41 Tehama X X X
Whole Foods Mixed-Use X X
Fiscal Year 2014-2015
Hampton Inn X X
CPMC Cathedral Hill X X
2558 Mission X X
1634 Pine X X
Starr King School X X
2051 3rd Street X X
Shipyard 51 Innes Court X X
Shipyard 52 Innes Court X X
Avalon Dogpatch X X
340 Fremont X X X X
Project Name
Onsite Alternate Water Sources Non-potable Applications Rainwater
Stormwater
Graywater
Blackwater
Foundation
Drainage
Condensate/Blo
wdown
Brewery
process water
Toilet Flushing
Irrigation
Cooling/
Heating
Street
Sweeping
Brewery
processes
Trinity Phase 3 X X
ECSF-BART Project X X
85 Bluxome X X
Fiscal Year 2015-2016
Moscone Center X X X X X X
UN Plaza Project X X X
1395 22nd Street X X X X
350 8th Street X X
5050 Mission X X
CPMC St. Luke’s X X
CPMC Van Ness Medical
Office Building
X X
510 Townsend X X X X X
UBER X X X X
Transbay Block 9 X X X X
Park Tower X X X
Transbay Block 8 X X X X
Fiscal Year 2016-2017
Warriors X X X X
India Basin X X X X
115 Telegraph Hill X X
SFSU Recreation
Wellness Center
X X X
Salesforce Tower X X X X
160 Folsom X X X X
505 Brannan X X X X
Shipyard 889 La Salle
Avenue
X X
Shipyard 869 La Salle
Avenue
X X
Shipyard 1 Earl Street X X
Shipyard 989 Oakdale
Avenue
X X
Shipyard 978 Oakdale
Avenue
X X
Project Name
Onsite Alternate Water Sources Non-potable Applications Rainwater
Stormwater
Graywater
Blackwater
Foundation
Drainage
Condensate/Blo
wdown
Brewery
process water
Toilet Flushing
Irrigation
Cooling/
Heating
Street
Sweeping
Brewery
processes
Shipyard 879 La Salle
Avenue
X X
Shipyard 968 Oakdale
Avenue
X X
Shipyard 999 Oakdale
Avenue
X X
Shipyard 988 Oakdale
Avenue
X X
Shipyard 10 Kennedy
Place
X X X
Shipyard 10 Innes Court X X X
706 Mission X X X
Fiscal Year 2017-2018
1301 16th Street X X
Modera Rincon X X
1598 Bay Street X X
1066 Market X X
Rebuild Potrero Block X X X
240 Pacific Avenue X X
999 Folsom X X
Hyatt Place X X X X X
Splunk X X X X
830 Eddy X X X
1036 Mission X X X
1500 Mission Residential X X X X
88 Broadway X X X
UC Hastings Academic
Building
X X X
49 South Van Ness X X X X
Fiscal Year 2018-2019
Anchor Brewery Process
Water Reuse Project
X X
1515 S Van Ness X X
1965 Market X X
Lumina X X
300 Grant X X X
Project Name
Onsite Alternate Water Sources Non-potable Applications Rainwater
Stormwater
Graywater
Blackwater
Foundation
Drainage
Condensate/Blo
wdown
Brewery
process water
Toilet Flushing
Irrigation
Cooling/
Heating
Street
Sweeping
Brewery
processes
75 Howard X X X X
145 Leavenworth X X X X
361 Turk X X X X
30 Otis X X X X
Fiscal Year 2019-2020
Mission Rock X X X
1629 Market X X X X
88 Bluxome X X X X
598 Brannan X X X X
950 Tennesseee X X
681 Florida Street
Housing
X X
1111 Pennsylvania X X
2465 Van Ness X X
1001 Van Ness X X
65 Ocean Ave X X
4200 3rd Street X X
1140 Harrison Street X X X X
434 Minna (5M) X X X X
120 Stockton X X X X
Francisco Park X X X
415 Natoma (5M) X X X X X
725 Harrison X X X X
Pier 70 E2 X X X X
Pier 70A X X X X
Hillside Block 48, Phase
1B, Bldg G
X X X
450 O'Farrell X X X X
Fiscal Year 2020-2021
921 Howard Street X X
Lofton at Nopo X X
Potero Hope SF Block B X X
531 Bryant Street X X
2177 3rd St X X X
Project Name
Onsite Alternate Water Sources Non-potable Applications Rainwater
Stormwater
Graywater
Blackwater
Foundation
Drainage
Condensate/Blo
wdown
Brewery
process water
Toilet Flushing
Irrigation
Cooling/
Heating
Street
Sweeping
Brewery
processes
30 Van Ness Avenue X X X X X
Pier 70 Parcel K North X X X X
98 Franklin X X X X
UC Hastings School of
Law Campus Housing
X X X X
Fiscal Year 2021-2022
CCSF New STEAM Center X X
San Francisco Wholesale
Flower Market
X X
555 Bryant X X X X