MINUTES

San Francisco Public Utilities Commission	Members
Citizens’ Advisory Committee
Wastewater Subcommittee	Jennifer Clary
	Richard Hansen
October 19, 2006	Alex Lantsberg
5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.	David Pilpel
1155 Market Street, 4th Floor	Judy West
	Staff Liaison: Iris Martin Lopez

1.  Call to order- 5:35 p.m.

2.  Roll Call- all members present

SFPUC Staff present- Steve Medberry, Bob Hickman, Karen Hurst, Bonnie Jones, Arleen Navarret, Rosey Jencks and Iris Martin Lopez.

Members of the public- Ed Mason, Emeric Kalman and Joan Girardot

City Attorney- John Roddy

3.  Minutes- September minutes were approved

4.  Public Comment- No public comment at this time.

5. Discussion, presentation and possible action on the Department of Public Health (DPH) Vector Control Program – Dr. Rajiv Bhatia, DPH Manager of Environmental Health led a discussion on DPH’s Vector Control Program. 

- The DPH Vector Control Program is dedicated to control the revenue stream of vector across the City and County of San Francisco’s border within Environmental Health.

- Since the spread of the West Nile Virus in 2003 – 2004 DPH took more action with their program. Dr. Bhatia expressed that DPH’s Environmental Health Bureau has dedicated staff working on vector control issues. 

- Currently, DPH is working on a citywide vector control program with the SFPUC, Recreation and Parks Department, Department of Public Works (DPW) and Department of the Environment in the annual “Fight the Bite” Campaign.  The campaign consist of an application of larvicide every 21 days during the late summer months to 20,000+ catch basins throughout the City to prevent mosquito breeding in an urban environment.

- DPH is also currently working with Supervisor Mirkarimi on legislation and grants to purchase tools to prevent vector issues.

- For more information on Environmental Health Prevention, you can visit:  www.sfdph.org/eh

Questions and Comments on the DPH Vector Control Program
The WWCAC members made the following comments:

* Does the application of larvicide into the sewers mess with wastewater treatment? No.

* How many dead birds have been found? Found a few last year.  This is less of an issue due to San Francisco’s urban environment.

* Is the Bayview District a vector complaint hot spot? No, according to the DPH database.

* Asked for copies of Supervisor Mirkarimi’s Vector Control Ordinance.

* What is the budgetary standpoint for Environmental Health? The Bureau has increased its salary, budget of $15 million and receives revenue for regulatory functions.

* City’s emergency plan should be based upon lessons learned from other Municipal disasters.

* Where can people call for mosquito issues and health hazardous dumped junk?  Residents should call DPH for these complaints at (415) 252-3806.

Joan Girardot commented that she served as a member of the Board of Supervisor’s Taskforce for DPW concerning liquefaction problems in the Marina and South of Market Area. How would DPH be involved in the City’s emergency preparedness?  In an emergency DPH would work with SFPUC for clean drinking water to protect public health.

Emeric Kalman asked if Chloramine in the water affects mosquitoes? No

No action was taken

6. Discussion, presentation and possible action on SFPUC Greening Projects in Visitacion Valley- Rosey Jencks with Wastewater Enterprise Planning gave an update presentation on Low Impact Development (LID) and what steps the SFPUC is taking towards this program.

- The SFPUC is currently developing two LID demonstration projects at Sunset Parking Lot and 25th Avenue North.

a) The Sunset Parking Lot LID project will be a retrofit to a 3.5 acre lot; which will include a installation of vegetated swales that will capture, filter and infiltrate runoff from the parking lot.

b) The 25th Avenue North Drainage Improvement Proposed Plan will be a LID design to intercept storm flows, infiltration basin in 25th Avenue North, rebuild of curb areas with modular porous pavement and re-contour streets to discourage storm water from entering the area.

- Staff is presently developing a project in the Visitacion Valley specifically on Leland Avenue.

- This project is currently under design and will be called the Leland Streetscape project; this will also be a collaboration with the 5-Year Wastewater Capital Improvement Program.

- LID Program is also developing polices which will be a implementation of goals, Ordinances, Cost of storm water capture and treatment, partnerships with other agencies and Green infrastructure funding.

Comments and Questions on SFPUC Greening Projects in Visitacion Valley (Leland Avenue Project and Sunnydale Sewer Auxiliary Project)
The WWCAC members made the following comments on the updates:

* Inquired about the budget for the proposed LID Greening Projects

* Expressed that right of way is the greatest impact to residents

* Advised staff to work close with the Planning Department on a preliminary basis

* Requested staff to post the presentation on the website

* Asked if the SFPUC paid for the 25th Avenue North Project? Yes..  Staff is currently developing program policy to determine how and where the projects will be designed.

* Questioned how residents can help with storm water management? There are resources online for homeowners to contribute to storm water management; some ways includes scaling sites by amending the plumbing code to allow drainage into their yards instead of the sewer.  SFPUC is currently in the planning phase of Low Impact Development Program.

*  Asked about the budget for storm water projects.  S of now, the budget has funds for work orders, building repairs, engineering, urban forestry and landscape architects. Staff will come back in 2007 to discuss this topic further. 

* Inquired about the tunnel alignment for the Sunnydale Auxiliary Sewer Improvement Project.  Manfred Wong, Project Manger for this Sewer Improvement expressed that staff is currently advancing with the planning methodology for the tunnel.  The designing of this project will begin in 2007.

Joan Girardot- asked staff to quantify the charge for adding Doyle Drive storm water runoff into the City?  Wastewater Enterprise currently charges a to one time capacity charge to new residential and non-residential units storm water runoff is not factored into this cost.  The Wastewater Planning Division is studying ways to perhaps charge for storm water runoff in the future.

Emeric Kalman- asked who are the engineering firms for the Master Plan?  Brown and Caldwell, Carollo Engineers and Metcalfe and Eddy.

No action taken.

7. Discussion on upcoming Urban Watershed projects in Visitacion Valley – Jennifer Clary has met with Fran Martin and Rosey Jencks to outlining areas of common interest to discuss with the Visitacion Valley Council and SFPUC.

No action taken

8. Future Agenda items
* January Special meeting with the Bayview Project Area Committee 
* Wastewater Enterprise Budget
* Follow up discussion on the Water Environment Federation Water is Life Survey
* Update on the Sunnydale Watershed
* Bay versus Ocean discharge
* Flooding, sewer separation, combined sewer overflows, odors Southeast Plant
* Addressing green alternatives (before technologies are implemented in the SF Sewer Master Plan) – how to integrate Green technology and Low Impact Design into the alternatives
* SF State Groundwater Project

Members of the WWCAC received: 
* Copy of the SF Sewer Master Plan Technical Advisory Committee first and second meeting Summary Reports.

9. Adjourned- 7:36 p.m.