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
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San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
Correspondence Log
February 6, 2025 through February 17, 2025
Date Received From Subject
February 6, 2025 Steve Lawrence Item 15, 11-Feb-25, public comment February 10, 2025 Peter Drekmeier TRT Letter re: SFPUC 10-Year Financial Plan February 12, 2025 Jodi Soboll Fwd: CAC Questions to VP Commissioner Arce - Please Respond! (Email and attachment)
February 12, 2025 Leo Mankiewicz Re: Overcharging of Water Usage at 185 Farnum Street February 17, 2025 The Marina 94123 Board of Supervisor's Request
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From: Steve Lawrence
To: Commission
Subject: item 15, 11-Feb-25, public comment
Date: Thursday, February 6, 2025 3:50:42 PM
"This Commission hereby awards Contract No. CS-1263, for Standard Renewable Gas Interconnection Agreement, in the amount of $7,000,000, and with a duration of ten years, to Pacific Gas and Electric Company." 1/ Ten years? Digester gas should be flowing long before that, and it is recited that this facility is required to operate the digesters. Make sure facilities will be ready by the time the digesters are to be substantially complete and ready to start-up. 2/ What are the terms protecting PG&E, in the event, say, they find the gas inadequate? SFPUC is at odds with PG&E—over our desire to take over electrical facilities, especially. You're dealing with a foe; make sure we're not vulnerable.
-Steve Lawrence
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This message came from outside your organization. Report Suspicious From: Peter Drekmeier
To: Commission; Lennear, Tiffany
Cc: [email protected]; SFPUC Citizens" Advisory Committee; [email protected] Subject: TRT Letter re: SFPUC 10-Year Financial Plan
Date: Monday, February 10, 2025 1:54:26 PM
Attachments: TRT Letter to SFPUC re- 10-Year Financial Plan.pdf Hi Tiffany,
I'd appreciate it if you would forward the attached letter to the Commission for tomorrow’s meeting.
Thank you.
-Peter
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Peter Drekmeier
Policy Director
Tuolumne River Trust
[email protected]
OFFICES
San Francisco
Modesto
Sonora
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 3727
Sonora, CA 95370
Phone
(415) 882-7252
Website
www.tuolumne.org
BOARD MEMBERS
John Kreiter, Chair
Eddie Corwin, Vice Chair
Eric Riemer, Treasurer
Marek Robinson, Secretary
Jose Borroel
Cindy Charles
Harrison “Hap” Dunning
Eric Gonzalez
Camille King
Marty McDonnell
Homero Mejia
John Nimmons
Iris Stewart-Frey
Bart Westcott
Brad Wurtz
February 10, 2025
President Kate Stacy and Commissioners
SFPUC
Via email – [email protected]
Re: Item 13: 10-Year Financial Plan.
Dear President Stacy and Commissioners:
First of all, I’d like to commend SFPUC staff for what I see as a comprehensive and honest financial plan. The information provided will help the Commission make wiser decisions moving forward.
There should be concern about some of the information presented. Of note is the fact that combined water and sewer rates for San Francisco customers are now projected to be 1.5% higher than in last year’s Plan. Combined bills are currently expected to increase by an average of 9.6% annually, compared to
8.1% in last year’s plan. As a result, rates are now expected to exceed the affordability target by 2040.
Following is a table comparing last year’s projections with this year’s.
It would be helpful to have staff explain this large rate increase.
Projected rates are based on Finance Bureau sales projections, which are down
1.3 mgd (10-years-out) since last year. I encourage you to revisit the SFPUC report from July 5, 20221 that compares demand/sales projections from the Finance Bureau and Water Enterprise (used for the Urban Water Management Plan and Alternative Water Supply Plan). Both departments have historically over-projected, with Water Enterprise over-projecting significantly.
1 See “Water Enterprise and Finance Bureau Water Demand Projections, July 5, 2022 – https://sfpuc.sharefile.com/share/view/sa628ebe9c31e4326b84ffa2976f9f9a3
2 Given that water sales have always ended up below projections, it is important for staff to model how lower-than-projected sales would impact future rates. Please ask for such modeling.
There is clearly limited flexibility in the SFPUC budget to invest in expensive alternative water supplies (AWS). Fortunately, it’s very likely – almost certain – that the SFPUC will only have to invest in a fraction of what the AWS Plan suggests might be needed. The AWS Plan is based on Water Enterprise demand projections, which have been off by an average of 22% over the past 25 years.
Please direct staff to determine how much AWS might be needed if the SFPUC were to consider Finance Bureau sales projections. This would provide a range in the amount of investment that might be needed, and would help plan more prudently.
Thank you for considering these comments and suggestions.
Sincerely,
Peter Drekmeier
Policy Director
[email protected]
Cc: BAWSCA Board of Directors
SFPUC Citizens’ Advisory Committee
Palo Alto Utilities Advisory Commission
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This message came from outside your organization. Report Suspicious From: Jodi Soboll
To: Commission
Cc: Moncrease, Lexus; Eli Perszyk
Subject: Fwd: CAC Questions to VP Commissioner Arce - Please Respond! Date: Wednesday, February 12, 2025 8:33:40 AM
Attachments: Commissioner Arce - CAC 1.31.25.pdf
Attached is my letter to the Commission, specifically to Commissioner Arce as background for a discussion at this Tuesday’s CAC meeting that he will be attending.
Although the letter says I will not be there, I am able to attend.
Thank you for your consideration.
- Jodi Soboll
On Jan 28, 2025, at 11:44 AM, Moncrease, Lexus
<[email protected]> wrote:
Hello CAC Members,
I am reaching out to get your input on questions you would like Commissioner Arce to address at our February 18 Full CAC Meeting.
Please reply to this email with your questions by February 10. Please let me know if you have any questions. Thank you!
Best Regards,
Lexus Moncrease
External Affairs
Cell: 415-517-8465
Pronouns: She/Her
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1/31/25 Hello Commissioner Arce, Thank you for stopping by the CAC mee?ng last month and coming by again to answer our ques?ons. You clearly have a background working as an advocate for the people of California and the disadvantaged specifically. I aHended the last Commissioner mee?ng and talked about the lack of adequate Power Services to Treasure Island and Yerba Buena Island. As you know, the CAC submiHed a Resolu?on on this issue to the Mayor and Board of Supervisors in February 2024. In this resolu?on, we asked the Mayor and BOS help bring TIDA to the table to address the problems Treasure and Yerba Buena Island popula?ons are experiencing. While Mayor Breed has previously issued statements on the need of TIDA to address this issue, she did not take any further ac?on and did not respond to our resolu?on. Even without the poli?cal power of the mayor’s office, I believe SFPUC can do a great deal on its own to help move this issue forward. In the resolu?on, we asked the SFPUD Engineering Staff to perform a study on the past 5-10 years of power interrup?ons and failures. When there is a power outage, SFPUC maintenance is contacted and perform the repairs. Therefore, SFPUC should have all of the history of where the failures occur, what caused the failure, what was the correc?ve ac?on, along with other informa?on related to the repairs. In the resolu?on, we ask for specific data to be analyzed and provided to San Francisco and the CAC to aHempt further ac?on. SFPUC reviewed our request and agreed to the ?meline in our request. As stated previously, TIDA has $15M specifically dedicated for repairs at Treasure Island. While TIDA is not willing to expedite long term replacement of these systems, or conduct major repairs, I believe they could start performing preven?ve repairs based on the data SFPUC can provide. These could be contracted to SFPUC in the same way emergency repairs are done but could help prevent the significant disrup?ons to our Treasure Island residents that threaten their safety and well-being frequently. Would you please review the resolu?on, specifically our SFPUC requests, and let us know if you can help with this effort? We would welcome your support and any advice you could offer! Unfortunately, I cannot aHend the next CAC mee?ng when you are present. The CommiHee members are very familiar with this issue and can certainly talk with you more. If you have the ?me and are interested in helping us move this issue forward, please contact me directly. I am happy to work with your engineers on the analysis and report, or if they have other ideas for repair, replacement, or any other ways to improve the reliability of power to Treasure Island and Yerba Buena. Again, thank you for your ?me and considera?on. - Member Jodi Soboll 415-613-7279 This Message Is From an External Sender
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From: Leo Mankiewicz
To: Andrus, Deidre
Cc: Commission; BREGMAN, SHERYL (CAT); Spitz, Jeremy M; Hom, Nancy; Lor, Houa Subject: Re: Overcharging of Water Usage at 185 Farnum Street Date: Wednesday, February 12, 2025 11:40:23 AM
Attachments: image001.png
image002.png
Dear Deidre,
We just viewed our 02/11/25 bill online (because we're still not getting a paper statement in the mail), Acct No. 7725523562, and there is no $17.95 credit. Instead, there is an adjustment charge of $0.18.
We have not been contacted yet regarding the high bill issue, nor has an inspection yet been scheduled at 185 Farnum Street (that we know of).
The current bill now shows ZERO water usage, which is correct. If no action was taken by your Water Department, that tells us there is no problem with the meter or our interior plumbing. What we're thinking is that your computer system plugs in any number if there's no current data. It may indeed "estimate" the water usage. We believe this would be patently unfair, and that is why we asked for a credit of $185.20 in our letter to you, to cover all the months we were charged for water/sewer we did not use.
You need to talk to me (JoAnna) or my husband Leo, if you have any questions. Someone from the Water Department keeps calling our son Christopher when we clearly explained, in a phone call on January 6th, 2025, that I, JoAnna, am the one you need to talk to, as we are responsible for this account at this time. The number you should call is (415) 722-7045, Leo's mobile.
FYI - it is difficult for us to call and talk to someone because of the extensive hold times, and Customer Service often can't help us.
We would appreciate this getting resolved promptly. Thank you for your attention and cooperation.
Very truly yours,
JoAnna and Leo Mankiewicz
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From: The Marina 94123
To: Chan, Connie (BOS); Sherrill, Stephen (BOS); Sauter, Danny (BOS); Board of Supervisors (BOS); Engardio, Joel (BOS); Mahmood, Bilal (BOS); Dorsey, Matt (BOS); Melgar, Myrna (BOS); Mandelman, Rafael (BOS); Fielder, Jackie (BOS); Walton, Shamann (BOS)
Cc: [email protected]; [email protected]; Prather, Joel; Commission Subject: Board of Supervisor"s Request
Date: Monday, February 17, 2025 9:38:22 AM
Dear Members of the Board of Supervisors,
We wish to express our deep concerns regarding the conflicting projects surrounding the closure of the Pierce Street outfall and its impact on the proposed recreational area at Gashouse Cove (East Harbor) within the Marina Yacht Harbor.
The closure of the Pierce Street outfall has resulted in increased sewage discharge from the Laguna outfall, which flows directly into Gashouse Cove. This discharge not only jeopardizes the environmental health of the area but also threatens the viability of the proposed recreational project by the Recreation and Parks Department (RPD). The rise in sewage output into Gashouse Cove contradicts RPD's vision of creating a clean, safe space for public recreation and water activities.
It is alarming that despite the clear overlap of these projects, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) and the RPD are not coordinating their efforts. This lack of collaboration undermines public trust and risks wasting taxpayer dollars on a project that could be rendered unusable due to unsafe water quality.
I urge the Board of Supervisors to take immediate action to:
1. Conduct a Joint Environmental Impact Review (EIR): Ensure that the combined impacts of closing the Pierce Street outfall and increased discharge from the Laguna outfall are fully assessed.
2. Facilitate Inter-Agency Cooperation: Mandate a joint task force between SFPUC and RPD to address conflicts and align objectives.
3. Implement Mitigation Measures: Require SFPUC to propose and implement measures to reduce sewage output into Gashouse Cove.
4. Ensure Public Accountability: Hold public hearings to address residents' concerns and maintain transparency about the outcomes of these projects.
I implore the Board to ensure that these agencies work together to protect our waterfront and public safety and investment.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.
TheMarina94123