Citizens' Advisory Committee
Water Subcommittee

MINUTES 

June 25, 2008
1155 Market Street, San Francisco
4th Floor Conference Room
5:00- 7:00 pm

Members:  Jennifer Clary – Chair, Richard Hansen, Lurilla Harris, Art Jensen, Robert Varni

Staff: Christina Kerby

ORDER OF BUSINESS 

Roll Call:
Present:  Clary, Varni, Harris, Jensen, Hansen
Absent:  none  

1. Call to Order
The Meeting was called to order at 5:07 p.m.

2. Approval of Minutes 
Motion to approve minutes of May 28, 2008
Approved:  Unanimous

3. Public comment—matters within Subcommittee’s scope, not on today’s agenda
None.  

4. Staff Presentation— Management of SFPUC properties in the City of San Francisco. 

Speakers: Robert Reiter, Real Estate Services Division, Dan McAuliffe, City Distribution Division, Jane Lavelle, Natural Resources Division.

SFPUC owns a considerable amount of property in San Francisco, some in active use for distribution, collection, treatment and disposal of water; some surplus. 

SFPUC staff gave a presentation explaining the types of properties owned by SFPUC, their various uses, and how these properties are maintained, either by SFPUC or other entities such as San Francisco Recreation and Park Department.  Jane Lavelle explained SFPUC’s Environmental Stewardship Policy.

Dan McAuliffe, Operations Manager for City Distribution Division (CDD) explained some of the challenges of maintaining these 1000 acres of lands with a staff of 14.  Rob Reiter explained how surplus properties are declared and listed some possible surplus properties around San Francisco, including Francisco Reservoir, 17th and Folsom, and Laguna Honda.  Jane Lavelle explained that Laguna Honda is no longer needed from an operational standpoint, and there are many problems that make the property difficult for SFPUC to maintain, including 18 acres of remote terrain, homeless encampments, needles, overgrown vegetation that could pose a fire danger, and litter and dumping on the site.

• Following the presentation, Art Jensen asked whether the Waste Water Enterprise (WWE) holds any properties included within the 1000 acres discussed.  Rob Reiter said he believed that the WWE lands were included. 

• Robert Varni asked whether it would be possible to find an alternate property for the Lake Merced Rod and Gun Club seeing as they’ve been good tenants over the years.  Jane Lavelle reported that David Behar is program manager for that property and he could address that matter.

• Robert Varni asked about the ownership status of the Balboa Reservoir property at City College.  Rob Reiter said he’s not sure; they’re currently looking into that.

• Richard Hansen asked how much rent the Rod and Gun Club pays, and requested that someone report back to the Committee with that information.

• Jennifer Clary asked about the overall management plan for habitat restoration on these properties and whether we plan to work on the Natural Areas Plans for these sites.  She asked whether we would be the property managers for Laguna Honda and Jane Lavelle said that yes, we would. 
• Chair Clary asked whether we work with Rosy Jencks in the Stormwater Program on using some of these sites, particularly 17th and Folsom, for stormwater remediation programs.

Public Comment

Peter Brastow, Founding Director of Nature in the City: 
Mr. Brastow commented that he is particularly interested in the biodiversity of San Francisco wildlands.  He said that SFPUC lands have significant natural heritage – for example, Lake Merced’s rich grassland and Laguna Honda’s butterfly habitat.  Nature in the City is working with SFPUC staff, Rec and Park and other agencies on land management for biodiversity.  They would like to see that process accelerated.

Greg Gaar, Nature in the City:
Mr. Gaar commented that Laguna Honda is a rich native plant community and a remnant of the City’s natural heritage.  The reservoir is one of the few native lakes used by migrating water fowl and one of the 4 original lakes in San Francisco.

He commented that Rec and Parks’ Natural Areas Program manages more acres in San Francisco with less staff than SFPUC.  He pointed out that Laguna Honda is managed with the help of volunteers as well, and needs to be managed by people trained in biodiversity.  He argued that this land should not be sold as surplus; it should be transferred for $1 to Rec and Parks, and the SFPUC should pay for this land to be managed appropriately.

Joanie Levy:
She lives near the Reservoir and heard about this meeting through a neighbor.  She is happy that someone is looking into the issue.  She said that she hopes she can stay in close touch with the Committee.  She commented on how her neighborhood has come together to maintain and support Fay Park, a pocket park that was private land donated to the City.  She said the same would be true for Francisco Reservoir.  She said that the neighborhood has open space and recreation needs and can get behind this issue.

Pinky Cushner:
She lives downstream from Laguna Honda.  She said, if the City grows more dense in the future, what is the basis for the SFPUC declaring this surplus land?  Don’t we need more water storage in this City?  The water is a resource in Laguna Honda in the event of an earthquake.  Birds and insects also use that water.  She is disappointed in the way the SFPUC has managed this land.  She said the SFPUC does not respect nature, and it takes actions without informing the neighbors.  She said the use of goats to clear vegetation on the hillside altered the native plant and bird population there.
 
Judy West:
Interested in the site at 17th and Folsom which has been discussed as a park, a housing site, or as a potential site for stormwater detention.  I’m just curious what is going on.  It’s frustrating that you don’t know where City Property is.  I would like to see surplus properties on City planning maps.

5. Staff Presentation:  Water Quality—Review of chloramine water disinfection and Water Quality Protection Plan, at the request of the Subcommittee.

Speakers: Andrew deGraca, Water Quality Division, June Weintraub SF Department of Public Health

SFPUC staff gave an informational presentation about the use of chloramine as a disinfectant in the water system, an overview of its implementation, and SFPUC and the San Francisco Department of Public Health’s response to health concerns from the public.  June Weintraub explained the California Conference of Local Health Officers support for chloramination and its recommendations for tracking complaints and continually monitoring emerging research.  Andrew DeGraca explained that the SFPUC switched to chloramine in 2004 to comply with Federal regulations for disinfectant byproducts. 

6. Presentation: Citizens Concerned About Chloramine

Denise Johnson-Kula gave a presentation on behalf of Citizens Concerned About Chloramine, a community group representing citizens from the San Francisco Bay Area who have recorded health symptoms which they attribute to the use of chloramine as a disinfectant.  Ms. Johnson-Kula described her own respiratory symptoms as well as others’ complaints ranging from skin conditions to digestive problems.  She stressed the need for studies to assess the effects of chloramine on health.

Water Subcommittee members expressed concern over the chemical properties of chloramine and why the use of chlorine was discontinued in 2004.  Members also expressed concern over the lack of studies on the possible health effects of chloramine, and asked what an appropriate funding source for these studies would be.

Public Comment

Beth Nord – CCAC Member, Palo Alto:
Ms. Nord was diagnosed with eczema in November 2005, and in February 2007 stopped using tap and her symptoms stopped.  She has colleagues who have had similar experiences.  She says that The Blue Death by Dr. Robert Morris addresses this.  She would also like to know what is the vehicle for tracking complaints through the CCLHO, and which local health agencies should the public speak with?

Claudette Main, Foster City:
Ms. Main has experienced digestive problems related to soup, rice, tea or coffee- anything prepared with tap water.  In 1917, we used chloramines in lower concentrations before we had studies.  The concentrations have gotten stronger without proper testing.  We can’t make assumptions this is safe.  Germany and the EU have banned it.  Canada has labeled it toxic because run-off can kill salmonoids.  Will our children or grandchildren get asthma or dermatitis?  We need to find someone to set up an unbiased test before chloramines use spreads across the country.

Linda Corwin, Vice President of CCAC:
Thank you for facilitating this discussion.  I hopes that the PUC will be more proactive in getting tests on the effects of chloramines.  Claims the public has been left out of communications about chloramines.  In November 2006, the Commission asked the PUC to work with us.  But the November 21 report we found on the internet by accident.  We really would appreciate getting this information.  You have our emails.  We would just like to know what is going on.  We would like to work with you, not against you. 

Joel Hoel, CCAC:
I don’t really suffer from symptoms all that much so I won’t talk about my personal situation, but I do want to bring up a number of issues.  You mentioned a gravity fed system.  I don’t understand what the parameters are.  At the Sunol Plant, you do filter the water from Calaveras, but you don’t filter the water from Hetch Hetchy?  So you’re saying it works by gravity in one case and it doesn’t work by gravity in the other case?  Also, you said you would need 140,000 participants to do an adequate water quality study.  Where did you get that number?  Your water quality protection plan says there is an emerging taste and odor problem.  The theory is that comes from algae in Crystal Springs Reservoir.  The Pulgas Dechloramination Facility takes out the chlorine but it doesn’t take out the nitrogen or the ammonia particle.  That goes into Crystal Springs Reservoir and that’s one of the things the algae eat.  Does the ammonia ever come out before the water is treated at Harry Tracy?

June Weintraub responded to the question about complaint tracking, saying that the public can contact her or SFPUC Communications, or use 311 or the general number in the Water Quality Report.

7.  Discussion and Possible action – consider request of David Drabkin to be appointed to the Water Subcommittee as a public member

Approved.

8. Announcements by members and reports on other meetings

None.

9. Discussion about future agenda items

The following items were proposed for future consideration.

*   The Water CAC should send a letter to the Commission urging studies on the health effects of Chloramines as a disinfectant.
*   The Water CAC sees the need to develop a robust public engagement process for surplus SFPUC land.
*   The Water CAC would like to see an inventory of the 36 properties and land uses.  Suggestion that SFPUC review these properties for possible opportunities for in-city habitat. 
*     Invite San Francisco Recreation and Parks for a further discussion on surplus lands and property management.  Suggestion that the Committee look into the following three issues:  the application of the Environmental Stewardship policy, liability issues, and construction issues (what to do with landscaping following construction).

Next meeting is July 23rd.

9. Adjournment

The Meeting adjourned at 7:25p.m.