1.  Call to order- 5:37 p.m.

2.  Roll Call- Alex Lantsberg, David Pilpel and Jennifer Clary were present. Judy West was absent.

SFPUC Staff present- Tyrone Jue, Bonnie Jones, Arleen Navarret, Bob Hickman, Bill Keaney, Jon Loiacono and Iris Martin Lopez

Members of the public- Richard Hansen, Joan Girardot, Emeric Kalman, Rich Higgins and Geoff Potter

City Attorney- Absent

3.  Minutes- October and November 2006 meeting minutes were approved.

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

5. Sewer System Master Plan

A) 2007 Timeline for the SF Sewer System Master Plan (Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) Meetings, Commission and Public Workshop)  - Jon Loiacono with Wastewater Enterprise discussed the timeline with the WWCAC members.  He stated:

* The Master Plan Team is working on costs for the Alternatives
* Looking at Low Impact Development Benefits
* Will conduct another round of workshops in the Spring
* Staff will submit Draft Report in the Summer
* Begin Environmental Impact Review (EIR) this upcoming Fall
* The EIR will be a 18-month process with completion in 2009
* Cost will be the single issue in the future (rates impact)
* Staff will do the best they can do and let the Commissioners know.

Questions and Comments on the SF Sewer System Master Plan
The WWCAC members made the following comments:

* Inquired if staff is working with the Office of Environmental Review to assist staff with the EIR process?  Staff is currently hiring for these positions.
* Asked if staff is paying for overhead? Wastewater Enterprise is structured under a direct charge there is no overhead cost.
* What’s going on with the Master Plan’s Executive Summary. . . is staff moving forward with this report?  Staff will write the draft report.  As it develops the WWCAC will be able to review chapters of the report.
* Expressed the appreciation of seeing written documents.  Feel as if Power Point is unsatisfactory.
* How does the General Manager and Commission feel about the TAC? The General Manager finds the TAC important and also cares about what they are saying.  The Commission expects staff to incorporate TAC input.
* Stated that policy makers ignore the TAC.
* Asked staff to come back once the timeline is more evolved

Richard Hansen – commented that federal agencies develop master plans every year.  Also stated that SFPUC is in torment from internal turmoil of various General Managers.  Suggested that Water and Sewer need a yearly continuity to keep the plans up stream.  Jon Loiacono explained that under the administration of Pat Martel the Wastewater Enterprise had a billion dollar capital plan; which was later pulled by Martel.  Jon further explained that the Master Plan allows staff the opportunity to look back and determine how to do things different; this process puts everything in context for the EIR, defining problems and costs.  Lastly, Jon stated that the public is involved to see the whole open context of the Master Plan.

Mr. Hansen made a commitment to bring a copy of Asset Management Journal for people to review.  Jon Loiacono also commented that the Master Plan process includes rigorous review of Asset Management.

Geoff Potter with SF Baykeeper - inquired if the SF Sewer System Master Plan’s project schedule is similar to the Water System Improvement Program (WSIP)?  The SF Sewer System Master Plan currently in the planning stages will begin in 2009.  It will take time to build up these projects; the WSIP is ahead of the Master Plan.

Emeric Kalman - asked what the status of the hydraulic modeling of the current sewer system?  The SF Sewer Master Plan is exploring hydraulic modeling to look at overland flow and drainage. Staff will have a preliminary result of this study in May.

B) Viewing of SFG TV’s “City in Focus” Tour of the Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant
The Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant (SEP) was featured on SF Government TV’s (SFGTV) “City in Focus”, a magazine segment that airs on SF Cable TV Channel 78.  The segment highlights aspects of different City departments and informs the public of their specific contribution to residents of the City. The show stars a SFGTV staff member learning what's involved with doing the work at the plant.

The segment starred SFGTV’s Charles Kremenak touring the Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant and getting his “hands dirty” working on a heat exchanger in the solids handling portion of the Plant.

For episode dates and showtimes visit www.sfgov.org

No action was taken

6. Possible action on the Sustainable Watershed Alliance (SWAle) Report -  SWAle is a coalition made up of 26 organizations throughout the City, who wrote an objective response to the TAC regarding the SF Sewer System Master Plan.  SWAle is proposing the following objectives to staff:

*The Plan must redress the environmental injustices created by the last Master Plan,
* Pollutant loading to the Bay and Ocean must be continually and significantly reduced,
* The volume of water entering the system for treatment must be minimized,
*  A reliable and flexible system is essential in order to respond to catastrophic events and address water supply issues,
* The Plan must provide environmental benefits,
* The Plan must take proactive steps to address the impact of climate change, and
* The Plan must specifically address ways to achieve both economic and environmental sustainability

The Report was endorsed by 18 organizations within SWAle.   Since receiving this report the TAC feels that it gives guidance to the Master Plan and in addition they will be drafting up a response. At the January 18th meeting members of the WWCAC were creating a resolution to push forward to the full body CAC; however, text has not been approved or transcribed by Committee Chair.

Questions and Comments on the SWAle Report
The WWCAC members made the following comments:
q Supports the report
q Inquired if staff has put together a written response to the report?  Jon Loiacono is preparing an oral response. 
q Asked if staff found the document useful?  Also commented that the Master Plan concurs with the SWAle Report.  The report is ahead of the Master Plan’s current planning process.
No action taken

7.  Update on the Water Environment Federation “Water is Life Infrastructure Makes It Happen” Education Program -  Tyrone Jue with SFPUC Communications updated the members on Water Environment Federation (WEF) “Water is Life” Survey.  San Francisco was one of nine cities selected for this survey.  The survey was a public education outreach campaign to familiarize members of the public with infrastructure projects.  San Francisco Public Utilities Commission is a head of the game with the launch of two major infrastructure projects in water and wastewater.

8. Prioritize 2007 Agenda Items – The WWCAC members and staff discussed future agenda items for 2007.  This topic will be discussed further in February and it was also determined that the future agenda items will be projected on a 2-month look ahead schedule.

9.  Upcoming Agenda items

February
* Wastewater Enterprise Budget fiscal year 2007 2008
* Wastewater Enterprise Emergency Response

March
* Global Warming (relating to the SF Sewer System Master Plan)
* Proposed 2007 water and wastewater rates presentation

10. Adjourned- 7:31 p.m.