Published By: Communications and Public Outreach
| San Francisco Public Utilities Commission Citizens' Advisory Committee Wastewater Subcommittee MINUTES Thursday, March 15, 2007 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. 1155 Market Street, 4th Floor |
Members Jennifer Clary Alex Lantsberg David Pilpel Judy West Staff Liaison: Iris Martin Lopez |
1. Call to order- 5:38 p.m.
2. Roll Call- All members present.
SFPUC Staff present- Arleen Navarret, Susan Glendening, Bonnie Jones, Karen Hurst, Bill Keaney, Idil Bereket, Jon Loiacono, Bob Hickman, Tyrone Jue and Iris Martin Lopez.
Members of the public- Joan Girardot, Geoff Potter and Emeric Kalman.
City Attorney- Absent
3. Minutes- February minutes were approved.
4. Public Comment – none at this time.
5. Discussion and presentation on the SFPUC’s Fats, Oil and Grease (FOG) Biofuel Program- Lewis Harrison with Wastewater Enterprise’s Pollution Prevention Program gave an in-depth presentation on the SFPUC’s new Biofuel Program. The purpose of the program is to recover energy through beneficial reuse of FOG pollutants discharged to the wastewater system. In May 2006, the Mayor’s Biodiesel Directive was created to convert 100% of municipal fleet to biodiesel by 12/31/07. On March 14, 2007 SFPUC was awarded a $1 million grant by Public Interest Energy Research for FOG Recovery and Biofuel Conversion Technology Demonstration Project. The program will do the following:
- Utilize waste vegetable oil (WVO) diverted from sewers as a Biofuel feedstock
- WVO will turn into biodiesel
- Brown grease will become biogas for local treatment plant digesters
- Provide businesses and residents alternative FOG disposal options
- Divert FOG problem to Biofuel programs
- The transfer station will be located at 1399 Marin Street for commercial use only as an emergency fueling station and for MUNI buses.
How it works
- SFPUC trucks and drivers will collect oil from businesses
- Transfer station receives oil
- WVO filtered, settled, decanted (3 days)
- WVO transferred into storage tanks
- Biofuel will be sold to a biodiesel plant (bulk transport tractor-trailer pick up)
Benefits
* Biodiesel
- Less Carbon Monoxide
- Fewer hydrocarbons
- Less particulate matter
- Fewer air toxins than regular diesel
- Cleaner wastewater
* Biogas
- Cleaner burning technology
- Reduce our dependence on commercial electricity
- Reduce our operating costs
- Expand our renewable energy production
- Collect “tipping fees” from handlers
Questions and Comments on the SFPUC’s Biofuel Program
The WWCAC members made the following comments:
- How much grease are you projected to collect? Estimated to collect 6 million pounds (1.1 million gallons) of grease, which will be used for Municipal Railways fleet buses.
- Will this have an impact on the wastewater system? Staff is currently looking at this.
- Are you able to calculate how much pollution will be taken out of the wastewater system? Thus yet to be determined
- Is biodiesel safer than diesel? Biodiesel is better is, because it gets rid of particulates and other toxins.
- Can residents fuel up at the biodiesel transfer station? Currently only for commercial use. Will look into residential use in the future.
- Have you made a presentation to the Port Commission? Lewis Harrison responded that the Port Commission is on board with the Program.
- Is the current SFPUC overhead 85% of raw materials? The Biofuel Program will provide more savings in the wastewater system.
- Advised staff to add equation between SFPUC and Municipal Railway Biofuel inter-departmental coordination in the presentation. Lewis commented that currently both agencies are in draft planning stages for the Biofuel Program.
- The WWCAC supports the Biofuel Program.
- The members asked Lewis Harrison to come back in a few months with an update.
Emeric Kalman asked what quantity of raw materials will come from restaurants? Lewis said that 1.1 million gallons is going to be converted into Biofuel.
Joan Girardot asked what is the size of the SFPUC fleet? Staff did not have the information at this time.
Asked what is the cost of converting? It is a minor cost.
Added that anticipated restaurant owners might want the City to pay for grease? The SFPUC is an ally of the Golden Gate Restaurant Association. The Association will encourage their fellow restaurateurs to participate in the Biofuel Program.
No action was taken
6. Discussion and presentation on Stormwater Design Guidelines for separate sewer systems (MS4) – Susan Glendening with Wastewater Enterprise’s Planning Division discussed a developing inter-departmental project between the SFPUC and the Port called the Stormwater Design Guidelines to minimize pollutants in urban runoff associated with new development and redevelopment. This regulatory project will be applicable in areas where storm water drains directly into a water body (i.e. Bay waterfronts) rather than into the combined wastewater system. The Guidelines will promote Low Impact Design and other “green” design principles to allow storm water drainage to filter into the ground and other pervious surfaces. Susan further explains:
* The MS4 staff held their first public workshop on March 8th. There will be additional workshops to follow in September of this year and February 2008.
Questions and Comments on the Stormwater Guidelines
The WWCAC members made the following comments:
- What is the public education in this program? The education will consist of ways to promote Low Impact Design (LID) and other “green” design principles to allow stormwater drainage to filter into the ground and other pervious surfaces.
- Will there be coordination between LID and MS4? Yes.
- Advised staff to clarify in the MS4 presentation that the Guidelines are for new developments and not for existing areas like the Port’s roofs.
- Commented that there was mention of outreach required for the program or “right thing to do”? Educating the public with the MS4 Guidelines is a cornerstone in Pollution Prevention Program.
- This project seems to be mostly on the bayside how will it affect the Mission or the Sunset? The MS4 will not be required in areas with combined sewer systems (the westside is a combined area).
What if the City takes it off set? Joan adds that the Presidio Trust does not want the run off either. Bob responded that if the City does take the runoff it will increase costs. The runoff would be better dealt with on site.
No action taken
7. SF Sewer System Master Plan
Discussion and presentation on Global Warming and Rising Sea Levels and the short/long term response on the wastewater system – Jon Loiacono gave a detailed presentation on global warming and rising sea levels and the response to the City’s wastewater system. The presentation explained:
- There is a loss of land ice in Antarctica. Over time, the ice shelf has retreated and collapsed to the size of Rhode Island.
- The Upsala Glacier in Argentina has decreased since 1928.
- Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa, formed 11, 000 years ago has severely gone down over the years. Scientists predict the glacier will disappear completely by 2015.
- The rising tides will affect the City’s sewer system.
- Over the last 150 years the levels have risen 2.13 millimeters (00.8 inch) per year.
- Over the last 20 years seal levels has increased to 3.2 millimeters (0.13 inch) per year.
- Mean tide levels is up by 0.6 meters (2.5 inches)
- High tide level is up by 0.15 meters (6 inches)
- By 2100, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) projects global mean sea levels to rise between 0.3 and 0.88 meters (12 to 35 inches).
Short Term Solution
Tideflex Duckbill Valves
1. Prevents backflow
2. Eliminates hinges, springs, levers and counterweights
3. No moving parts to lubricate or replace
4. Rubber construction of its check sleeve allows it to seal around entrapped debris
5. Cost estimate $1,400,000
Long Term solution
Cover Outfalls and Install Pump Stations
1. Cover outfalls to prevent sea water from entering collection system and treatment facilities
2. Pump collected combined sewage to nearest wastewater treatment facility
Questions and Comments on Global Warming
The WWCAC members made the following comments:
- Inquired if staff will currently deal with the short term solutions and wait for the next master plan to deal with the long term? The current master plan will look into both short and long term solutions. The Wastewater Enterprise has done pilot projects with pump stations that were placed on Lucerne and Shotwell Streets.
- Judy West a member of the WWCAC, who is a Geologist commented that currently there is no ability to track the climate change time frame. She adds that there will need to be another major change to make the sea levels rise and snow melt at rapid rates.
- Asked if staff has looked at maps of the outfalls do you know the elevations? Mission and Islais Creeks have lowered over the years.
- Will outfalls be replaced during this master plan? Yes, the current master plan will look into this.
- What is the amount? To cost estimate to replace each outfall is $10-20 Million.
- Asked how upstream issues are figured out? It is figured out by studying the impacts of flooding. WWE is currently working with the Planning Department to have new buildings in low-lying areas of the City be installed higher up above street level.
Geoff Potter with the San Francisco Bay Keeper commented that there are two NASA satellites that are monitoring melting ice. From this research NASA has discovered that there has been a huge loss on ice mass in Greenland.
No action taken.
8. Wastewater Enterprise (WWE) Updates
Rosey Jencks with Wastewater Planning invited everyone to attend the Better Streets Public Workshop on Thursday, April 5th at 5:30 p.m. in City Hall, North Light Court.
Idil Bereket with Communications and Public Outreach displayed the latest kiosk to be distributed throughout out the City under the master plan. The kiosk theme is Low Impact Design. Look for the kiosk later this Spring.
Questions and Comments WWE Updates
The WWCAC made the following comments:
- Requested a copy of the SF Sewer Master Plan Public Input Summary.
- Inquired if the new WWE positions have come aboard? Tom Franza, Assistant General Manager, Wastewater Enterprise responded that this is still a working process.
9. Upcoming Agenda items
April
* Storm Water Construction Ordinance,
* San Francisco State University Groundwater Project,
* Low Impact Design Quarterly Update,
* Literacy for Environmental Justice Living Classroom Project
* Sustainability/Criteria for the SF Sewer System Master Plan.
May
* Biosolids Plan (Proposing new legislation New hauling contract and Landfill Cover contract)
* Rate Fairness Board Update
* Low Impact Design Quarterly Update.
***List of Potential Future Agenda Items ***
* Norcal Food Update
* Asset Management
* Wastewater Enterprise Apprenticeship and Mentorship Programs
* Dental Mercury Reduction Update
* Mission Creek Corridor Project
* SFPUC Responsibility to Federal Enclave areas
* Better Streets Program Update
10. Adjourned- 7:23 p.m.
