At a World Water Day event, on March 20th, 2008, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom directed the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) to produce a detailed and specific Water Quality Protection Plan and to convene a National Water Quality Advisory Council of water quality experts from across California and the nation to assist in the development of the plan. Experts were chosen based on their water quality expertise, knowledge of the SFPUC system and representation of varying perspectives.

The SFPUC’s objectives for water quality protection include: a) public health protection, b) regulatory compliance and c) customer confidence. The SFPUC currently meets all state and federal regulations. It employs a multi-barrier approach to water quality protection; i.e., not relying on any single protective measure but rather utilizing several safeguards to ensure that high water quality is achieved.