Citizens' Advisory Committee
Water Subcommittee

MINUTES 

May 28, 2008
1155 Market Street, San Francisco
4th Floor Conference Room
5:00- 7:00 p.m.

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

Staff: Amy Sinclair

ORDER OF BUSINESS

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

1.  Call to Order
The Meeting was called to order at 5:21 p.m.

2. Approval of Minutes 
Motion to approve minutes of April 23, 2008
Approved:  Unanimous

3. Announcements by members and reports on other meetings

Chair Clary went to the SFPUC Commission meeting on May 27th and she reported they talked about the water quality protection plan that the mayor asked to have done. She has a copy if anyone wants to read it.

No public comment.

4.  Public comment—matters within Subcommittee’s scope, not on today’s agenda
Linda Corwin of Citizens Concerned about Chloramines commented on chloramines.   

She provided a handout packet containing various reports.  She discussed the hazards of toxic showers from exposure to chloramines. She quoted various studies.

She quoted abstracts with information about chloramines and their risks and toxicities.
When chloramines are changed over in the water system, blood levels of chemicals in children in those areas increase. Dialysis clinic lacked filtration systems and impact the health of dialysis patients. 

She also quoted examples of fish killed by chloramines.  She quoted studies that chloramines are getting into the Bay. Lurilla Harris mentioned that some otters have been found to be poisoned by chemicals that may include chloramines.  Linda quoted materials from the World Health Organization that are included in the packet.  She cited many studies of fish and mice that became sick or died from chloramines.  

5. Staff Presentation—Development of WSIP Branding Campaign

Maureen Barry, WSIP Communications Manager, introduced preliminary plans for creating a brand logo representing the WSIP that would be instantly recognizable.  She also plans a website update.

Maureen showed several examples of possible logos for the rebranding of the Water System Improvement Program. 

Her goal is to provide a recognizable brand for the WSIP, especially as we move into the 35 plus regional projects. 

6. Staff Presentation: SB 1258 (Lowenthal) on Gray Water

Speakers: Ellen Levin and Nathan Purkiss of SFPUC.

This is a bill strongly supported by the SFPUC that will require state agencies to establish standards for potential users of gray water. Gray water is generally defined as water from showers, sinks (except kitchen), laundry, etc and does not include sewer water. This would apply to indoor residential use in new residential buildings.
  
According to Nathan Purkiss, the City would like to have a requirement for gray water in its Green Building Ordinance but currently there are no state standards in place so we want to pursue legislation to have state standards created.  The Senate Bill by Lowenthal has passed off the Senate floor will all ayes and it is currently in the Assembly this summer with hopes of being on the governor’s desk in September. 

Tim Colen and other CAC members asked Nathan how they can help. Nathan suggested letters of support. 
 
Chair Clary suggested the subcommittee should check bylaws to make sure the CAC can send letters of support to a senator. 
 
Motion to support the legislation and communicate support to the Commission, mayor and legislators. 
Moved: Tim Colen
Second: Lurilla Harris
Vote:  Unanimous

No public comment.

7. City’s Recycled Water Program

The subcommittee discussed the proposed resolution.

Robert Varni asked how many times the subcommittee has passed a recycled water action item. He stated he feels San Francisco needs a program that people can look at and comment on now. Instead of resolutions at meetings, he feels the SFPUC needs a good study that people will look at and comment on in a positive way.

Tim Colen commented that the subcommittee should not ‘reinvent the wheel’ as studies have already been done already and the subcommittee members don’t have the expertise on this topic to do a study. He stated he is concerned about the sense of urgency now as we are one of the only counties in California not using recycled water.  Given the climate conditions, with a drought possible, we need to move ahead and use available studies.  Daily City just put in a tertiary treatment plant which gets them off groundwater and now irrigates public areas. He stated the SFPUC has created master plans and the subcommittee would like to see the machinery of the SFPUC moving forward. 

Chair Clary stated she has some concerns as Art Jensen mentioned in the past, such as, what are we paying for?  How do we address cost?  If we are expected to pay for cost of recycled water, then we have a right to understand the cost better. Are there alternatives?  Projects get held up by health concerns and how the water might impact health.

Tim Colen stated he doesn’t see the SFPUC out in the public educating the public about recycled water.   

Chair Clary suggested the subcommittee update the resolution and then discuss with Art again. 

Lurilla Harris suggested that a better definition of recycled water be included in the resolution and other materials.

Tim Colen suggested the CAC get an update from Suzanne Gautier or Cheryl Munoz at future meeting.

Amy Sinclair mentioned that Suzanne Gautier has scheduled a recycled water public meeting in June and she will work with Betsy to provide the date and information for the CAC.

Chair Clary discussed a resolution about the need for community outreach and an update on the current status of the program.  She also would like to know about purple piping (separate pipes for recycled water) and enforcement and expansion of new building to install it. She suggested the subcommittee needs to work with Art to understand costs of San Francisco program versus other programs.

Chair Clary will report at the next full CAC meeting what our approach will be for creating a recycled water platform.

Public comment
Linda Corwin:  Please have the SFPUC include the science behind recycled water and health concerns when presenting this to the public. What is going to happen with the medications they are finding in that water? She said the public needs to know the science behind it, not just that everyone else is using it.

Other Public Comment: Joan Girardot of the Coalition of San Francisco Neighborhoods (CSFN) stated that recycled water uses more energy and is more expensive than potable water. She said residents are concerned about use of water-saving artificial turf and potential health impacts of gasses and other concerns from artificial turf.  Which technology is the City considering using for recycled water? Technology keeps getting better for treatment to drinking water standards. 

Ms Girardot stated that BAWSCA does not feel it should pay for the recycled but retail ratepayers should not pay for it.  If recycled water is going to offset potable water, the point is that the benefit to the existing retail rate payer is zero for doing the programs on the West Side of town. Benefit will go to the golf courses and Rec & Park properties and they pay for that water.  The cost should go on Rec& Park’s bill to produce the water.  Because the retail ratepayer cannot use it in his/her home, and there is no deficiency in water available today (yet), she feels the golfers, the Zoo, etc should pay.  Can existing rate payers be forced to pay?  She would like the subcommittee to ask the City Attorney if the in-City rate payers should be forced to pay for this recycled water when they do not directly use the water. 

Robert Varni and Chair Clary made amendments to the resolution.  A motion was made to approve the changes. 
Motion:  Robert Varni
Second: Lurilla Harris

Varni will present this at the June meeting for a vote. 

8. Discussion about future agenda items

The following items were proposed for future consideration.

Application of ‘Show me the water’ legislation in San Francisco
Water Quality presentation
Purple piping regulations in San Francisco
Follow up on Best Practices for Capital Reserve Funds
Drought supply reliability

Next meeting is June 25th.

9.Adjournment

The Meeting adjourned at 6:45 p.m.