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MEMORANDUM
Date: May 20, 2024
To: Commissioner Tim Paulson, President
Commissioner Anthony Rivera, Vice President
Commissioner Newsha Ajami
Commissioner Kate Stacy
From: Dennis Herrera, General Manager
Through: Steven R. Ritchie, Assistant General Manager, Water
Subject: Onsite Water Reuse Program Update – FY 22/23
_______________________________________________________________
Onsite Water Reuse Program Key Updates
The City and County of San Francisco implements an oversight and management program of onsite non- potable water systems to ensure the safe design, installation, and ongoing operation of these systems. The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) actively participates in the permitting program by approving water budget applications, managing the Cross - connection Control Program, and providing technical assistance on navigating the permitting process. Notable program highlights led by SFPUC for F Y 22-23 include:
• Approved 3 new water budget applications: a rainwater and condensate reuse system proposed at 350 2nd Street, a blackwater and condensate reuse system at 490 Brannan Street, and a graywater and rainwater reuse system at 200 Kansas Street;
• Completed a study of the operational and treatment considerations of using alternate water sources onsite in cooling towers in order to further understand the technical feasibility of this application; • Led the development of the new Water Supply chapter of the San Francisco Climate Action Plan in collaboration with San Francisco
Figure 1. Mission Rock has built the first district-scale blackwater system in San Francisco.
Environment Department, which highlighted onsite water reuse, water conservation, recycled water, groundwater, and alternative water supplies as key components of the City’s effort to address climate change;
• Updated the Onsite Water Reuse Program Guidebook with additional information on how to safely use non- potable water for clothes washing and considerations for the use of chlorine for disinfection in an onsite non-potable water system;
• Led a webi nar in May 2023 sharing lessons learned from operators of onsite non-potable water systems that may be forgotten or overlooked to date but are key components for successful implementation; and • Published an article in Alternative Water Sources for Producing Potable Water, focused on the SFPUC’s leadership to advance onsite water reuse, including lessons learned from the PureWaterSF project to help reach a broader and more diverse group of stakeholders including academia.
Background: San Francisco’s Onsite Water Reuse
Program
In September 2012, the City and County of San Francisco adopted the Non- potable Water Ordinance, adding Article 12C to the San Francisco Health Code. San Francisco is the first municipality to
establish an ordinance and mandate 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.
The ordinance es tablished the roles and responsibilities of the SFPUC, San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH), San Francisco Department of Building Inspection (SFDBI), and San Francisco Department of Public Works (SFPW) in the oversight of onsite non-potable water systems in buildings.
The ordinance has evolved over time. 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-potabl e 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 urinal 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 buildings. 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 making 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
.
Onsite Water Reuse Project Case Studies
Figure 2. San Francisco Permit Center at 49 South Van Ness Avenue San Francisco Permit Center:
The Permit Center at 49 S. Van Ness Ave. is a 16 -story office space that consolidates numerous City permitting agencies into one space, housing hundreds of City employees and seeing thousands of members of the public every year. Graywater is collected from shower heads and lavatory faucets, while rainwater is collected from the roof. Treated water is used to supply toilets and urinals. The system is expected to save 400,000 gallons annually.
Figure 3. Fifteen-Fifty residential tower at 1500 Mission Street
Fifteen-Fifty:
1550 Mission Street is a 40- floor mixed -used residential building located at 1550 Mission Street at Van Ness. Graywater is collected from 438 residential room washer machines and showers. Rainwate r is also collected from the roof and pre-filtered before combining with graywater for treatment. Treated water is used to flush toilets and urinals, as well as provide for irrigation needs. The system is expected to save 2.5 million gallons annually.
Figure 4. The George at 424 Minna Street
The George:
The George at 434 Minna Street is a 20- story residential apartment building that is part of the 5M development project located between SOMA and Mid -Market districts. Graywater is collected from showers and bathtubs in the residential units. Rainwater is collected from the roof and combined with graywater for treatment. Treated water is used to supply both toilet and irrigation needs. The system is expected to save 1.4 million gallons annually.
The SFPUC developed additional case studies to feature 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 F rancisco, they will be added to the case studies report. To view the case studies, visit www.sfpuc.org/npo
.
Potable Water Offsets
To date, there are 115 total water budget applications to install onsite non-potable water systems. T here are 41 operating onsite water systems. It is noteworthy that 9 of the operating systems are graywater treatment systems and there is 1 operating black water treatment system at the Salesforce Tower. The current potable water
offset for the Onsite Water Reuse Program is 0. 12 million gallons per day (MGD), which is equivalent to offsetting the average annual home water use of 3,00 0 San Franciscans. By 2040, the expected potable water offset will be approximately 1.5 MGD, which is equivalent to offsetting the average annual home water use of 30,000 San Franciscans.
An estimated 6 4% of the total number of projects are implementing stormwater or rainwater har vesting systems to comply with the Stormwater Management Ordinance (SMO). Figures 5 and 6 and Table 1 provide an overview of San Francisco’s onsite water reuse projects.
Figure 5. San Francisco's Onsite Water Reuse Projects Shown by Project Initiation Year
Figure 6. 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 suc h 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 e ligible 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 assistance 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 demonstrated 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 imp lementation 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 recovery. 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.
National Blue Ribbon Commission for Onsite Non -
potable Water Systems
The SFPUC has 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 (NBRC), the SFPUC is leading a collaborative of municipalities, utilities, public health agencies from 15 states, the District of Columbia, the city of Toronto, the city of Vancouver, US EPA, and US Army Engineer Research and Development Center.
Supported by the WateReuse Association, t he NBRC is focused on creating tools and resources that can support implementation of this sustainable water strategy and foster strong collaborations between water and wastewater utilities and public health agencies. The NBRC has made significant research contributions , including participating in the development of the risk- based framework that reflects the cur rent state of the science on the treatment and continuous monitoring required for onsite non- potable water systems. The NBRC also has advanced policies and regulations for onsite non-potable water reuse over the years. 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 Texas, Alaska, Ohio, and Oregon are considering similar steps forward. These accomplishments are described in further detail in the NBRC’s document:
https://watereuse.org/wp-
content/uploads/2024/04/NBRC_Factsheet_April-2024-Final.pdf.
The NBRC continues to lead additional research, including expanding the risk-based framework, researching pathogen crediting for natural treatment systems, developing bacteria crediting frameworks, aligning plumbing codes and standards with the risk- based framework, addressing how onsite water systems can play a role in equity and climate change issues, and conducting life cycle assessments evaluating the environmental and economic effects of community scale onsite water reuse adoption.
For more information about the NBRC, visit
www.watereuse.org/nbrc
.
cc: Ken Payne, SFPUC-WQD
Steve Panelli, SFDBI-PID
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
Brewery
process water
Toilet Flushing
Irrigation
Cooling
Street
Sweeping
Brewery
processes
Trap Priming
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
Brewery
process water
Toilet Flushing
Irrigation
Cooling
Street
Sweeping
Brewery
processes
Trap Priming
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
Chase Center 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 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
Project Name
Onsite Alternate Water Sources Non-potable Applications Rainwater
Stormwater
Graywater
Blackwater
Foundation
Drainage
Condensate
Brewery
process water
Toilet Flushing
Irrigation
Cooling
Street
Sweeping
Brewery
processes
Trap Priming
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
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
Project Name
Onsite Alternate Water Sources Non-potable Applications Rainwater
Stormwater
Graywater
Blackwater
Foundation
Drainage
Condensate
Brewery
process water
Toilet Flushing
Irrigation
Cooling
Street
Sweeping
Brewery
processes
Trap Priming
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
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
Fiscal Year 2022-2023
PG&E Block X X X X X X
One Vassar X X X X X
988 Harrison X X
Project Name
Onsite Alternate Water Sources Non-potable Applications Rainwater
Stormwater
Graywater
Blackwater
Foundation
Drainage
Condensate
Brewery
process water
Toilet Flushing
Irrigation
Cooling
Street
Sweeping
Brewery
processes
Trap Priming
University High School X X
80 Julian X X
350 2nd Street Hotel X X X X X
490 Brannan Street X X X X X
200 Kansas X X X X