Citizens' Advisory Committee
Water Subcommittee

MINUTES

Wednesday, March 26, 2008
5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
1155 Market Street, San Francisco, 4th Floor Conference Room

Members

Jennifer Clary – Chair	Richard Hansen
Tim Colen	Lurilla Harris
David Dawdy	Robert Varni
Art Jensen

Staff: Robert Lopez

Members of the Public: Joan Girardot, Steve Lawrence, CAC Member.

ORDER OF BUSINESS

Roll Call
Present: Clary, Colen, Hansen, Harris, Varni

1. Call to order

Jennifer Clary, Chair, called the meeting to order at 5:15 p.m.

2. Approval of Minutes

Motion to approve minutes of February 27, 2008 with 1 correction. 
Approved: Unanimous

3. Announcements

Pacific Energy Fair – (Clary) Thought SFPUC could have played a bigger participation role in this even i.e. better give-away items.

Lake Merced Task Force - (Colen) working on process to work with Pacific Rod & Gun Club (and others).  Lots of inflammatory comments in the media.  Lead contaminants are in the soil, Pacific Rod & Gun Club has no money to pay for clean up, but are open to the idea of sharing with other recreational uses.

Lake Merced Master Plan Meeting on April 22, 2008 at West Sunset Playground.

4. Public comment - None

5. Presentations

A. Water Rate Setting Presentation, Bill Laws & Joe Yew (Finance), SFPUC

i. Main Points
       1. Wholesale Contract Expiration- What happens after that?
           a. Can there be an agreement to equitable cost for retail customers? Possibly, but the question is what is a fair rate of return?
           b. What if wholesale customers don’t like SFPUC contract demands? SFPUC supplies the water so unless demands are unreasonable.
           c. Concerns about infrastructure budget.  How does the SFPUC ensure that enough money goes into infrastructure? There are some changes at SFPUC that will improve maintenance. 
           d. What about a rehabilitation fund similar to a reserve fund for condominiums?
           e. Is cash flow built into system enough if earthquake happens? SFPUC does plan in advance and if sound financial planning is made then all necessary maintenance can be made.
           f. Where can more information be found about this?  Website?  Rate fairness board is a good resource. They are on sfwater.org
           g. Need to fill vacancies on rate fairness board before setting any future rate increases. 
           h. R&R is underfunded, should be average replacing 20 miles of pipe per year, only averaging 5-8 miles.
           i. Bill Laws was asked to report back at a future date with next rate fairness board meetings (possibly this fall) and also best practices (per AWWA).
           j.  Charter language regarding maintenance mandates that R&R be funded, but reality tells a different story. 

ii.  Follow-up on CAC motion adopted last month about reserve fund – NO ACTION

B. Water Enterprise Business Plan Status, David Behar – Draft to come out in May.

6. Discussion of possible action regarding a resolution in support of recycled water program. 

a. This is the type of initiative that CAC’s should be involved in.  
b. Richard Hansen asks that this item be tabled until next subcommittee meeting.  Agreed to by Tim Colen, Jennifer Clary, and Lurilla Harris. 
c. Large document to present in just one meeting. 

3.  Discussion of Mitigation and Monitoring program. 
      a. Does the PEIR explain how this program is set?
      b. Done at project specific level.
      c. Budget concerns

   4. Discussion of availability of PEIR
     a. CAC has no intention of submitting comments as a whole
     b. Richard Hansen concerned about lack of availability of hard copies
     c. Richard Hansen stated that more needs to be done to publicize SFPUC reading room.

 

7. Discussion about future agenda items, including budget items that the Water Subcommittee would like to monitor and acquire more information about at future meetings.

a. Overall management plan for watersheds presentation
b. Best Practices i.e. Rehabilitation fund, conflict between what charter mandates and reality
c. Grey Water Presentation
d. Water Code i.e. required assessments presentation and how it relates to development in San Francisco
e. Lake Merced – hazardous materials i.e. soil conditions
f. Managing practices of SFPUC land in San Francisco

8.  Adjournment

Meeting was adjourned at 6:50 p.m.