San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
Citizens' Advisory Committee
Water Subcommittee

MINUTES

October 2, 2006
1155 Market Street, San Francisco
4th Floor Conference Room
5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Members

Call to order. – Meeting was called to order at 5:08pm by Jennifer Clary, Chair

Roll Call: Members present: Clary, Jensen, Lawrence, Dempsey Members absent: Dawdy, Jung

CAC Member Hansen also in attendance.

Moved by Member Jensen, second by Member Dempsey to approve the minutes of the June subcommittee meeting. Some discussion about an item on Lake Merced, but approved by unanimous vote of members present. There was no meeting in August.

Staff Report: Chair Clary introduced Howard Fung, Senior Project Manager, to update the members about the local WSIP Projects.

Howard Fung explained that he oversees all local WSIP projects not included within the regional program. That is 36 capital projects exclusive of Sunset and University Mound reservoir upgrades, Crystal Springs and San Andreas pipelines.

Fung pointed out that the purpose of most of these projects is to achieve greater reliability and redundancy.

The members had several questions about the system’s ability to meet fire danger, and the demands of a catastrophic event. They encouraged Fung and SFPUC to highlight what these local water improvement projects would mean to ratepayers and the average resident. How are we safer today than we were 5 – 10 years ago?

Fung noted that of the 36 local projects:

• one has been deleted – agency felt they could achieve goals by other means without building New Northwest Reservoir in Presidio
• 50% are in planning/design
• 15% are complete
• 14 are actually in construction or close out

Agency is trying to push ahead local projects as much as possible so that agency can concentrate on larger regional efforts. Budget is $383 million and he is anticipating coming in under budget when all local projects are targeted to be complete in 2012.

Most projects are work on existing facilities – capital maintenance – and thus received a category exemption within the environmental review process.
The members had questions about how the new facilities would help meet new demands for water in coming years. Fung felt that the changes would not be great even with increased building on the Eastside including Mission Bay.

There was some question about how the SFPUC was planning and preparing for the maintenance of these facilities in future years. (NOTE: this will probably be discussed by Don Larramendy at Nov. mtg.) Point of Information: 1250 miles of pipeline in San Francisco.

Lake Merced Pump Station is the largest project, and is still in the planning stages. He explained how the pump stations are important in delivering water within the various zones of San Francisco. Members talked about the seismic challenges of projects. They also queried Fung about neighbor friendly aspects of construction.

Mt. Davidson Tank was of particular interest to Chair Clary. Fung explained that the agency is working with Rec/Parks Natural Areas staff to determine best means to refurbish pipelines and upgrade tank within our operating parameters and sensitive native plant areas. Much surveying continues to go on, and public meeting will be held when agency and Natural Areas determine feasible alignment alternatives.

Questions continued about the projects including:

Electrical reliability: Fung noted that most services are underground to protect them but there were very few at most of the water facilities. However, if we add solar to reservoir roofs, more electrical will need to be added.

Benefits of projects: Update aging facilities thus reduce maintenance and noise in the community. New facilities will allow more monitoring of pump stations, tanks, etc from central location—less visits to facility or disturbance to neighbors.

Buy American affecting Schedule: Fung said that this is more a federal program requirement and not affecting local WSIP. Also, equipment is very customized and must be crafted to SFPUC specific requirements.

WSIP Quarterly/Annual Reports: The members had many comments and observations about how to evaluate and compare these reports. A Jensen mentioned that annual appears to be written in absence of the June quarterly. Others brought up questions about the reports or the agency’s response to Parsons/CH2mHill’s recommendations. S Lawrence had trouble with aspects of the alternatives suggested for some projects.

The members agreed to track specific projects, perhaps up to 4 that they would follow closely and compare from one report to the next. Chair Clary suggested that this process might also provide more insight into the overall quarterly and annual report evaluations in issues of environment, fiscal responsibility and performance and planning.

Members should come to the November meeting with suggestions for WSIP projects to track.

Other discussion focused on the need for more elaborated business plan from the water enterprise and how the subcommittee might receive documents in a more timely fashion. They also questioned the need to suggest a possible resolution for how they would like the Water Enterprise to report annually on long term planning and other performance measures --may bring to full CAC.

Members requested that senior staff present the November presentation on Asset Management. Chair Clary suggested that we have operations staff on hand with project engineers at future staff presentations. November’s presentation will be from Don Larramendy on Asset Management and Status of deferred maintenance

Announcements: R Hansen suggested that the members and others in SFPUC make time to attend the annual geophysical meeting scheduled for the first week in December in San Francisco.

The meeting was adjourned at 6:57 pm.

Next meeting will be held on Monday, November 13, 2006.