Rainwater Harvesting System Installed at the Southeast Treatment Plant

In September of 2008, the SFPUC installed its first in-house rainwater harvesting system at the Southeast Treatment Plant (SEP), underscoring the importance of stormwater management to the health of the City’s sewer system.

The eight-unit, 440-gallon capacity rain barrel assembly was installed just ahead of the SFPUC’s first Big Blue Bucket eco-fair, which featured a host of environmentally friendly Wastewater Enterprise projects.

A visible part of the Stormwater Management Division’s Rainwater Harvesting Program, this and other rain catchment systems act as temporary “holding areas” for volumes of rain dumped during large storms, relieving stress on the City’s combined sewer system.

The SEP system is a “do-it-yourself” installation comprising eight recycled food drums, hoses, hose bibs, PVC piping and other materials assembled at an on-site teach-in for SEP staff. Water collected by the system is being used to irrigate nearby vegetation.

Rainwater harvesting activist Tara Hui leads a rain barrel installation workshop at the SEP’s new rain barrel system. The workshops were presented during the Big Blue Bucket Eco-Fair in October, 2008.	The SEP’s eight-unit, 440-gallon rain barrel system was assembled using recycled food drums.