SFWATER.ORG : Recycled Water Program

Recycled Water Program

Lincoln Park Golf Course
San Francisco residents enjoy some of the nation’s highest quality drinking water. The SFPUC’s Regional Water System delivers pristine, high Sierra snowmelt from the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and water from protected local reservoirs directly to customer’s taps. However, the SFPUC’s ability to serve San Francisco with a reliable water supply would be challenged in the case of a major earthquake, drought, or decline in the snow pack. As a result, the SFPUC is planning to diversify San Francisco’s water supply portfolio by increasing the use of local water sources such as recycled water, groundwater, water conservation and desalination.

Why Recycled Water?

Water is too precious a resource to use just once. Recycled water offers San Francisco a new water source for non-drinking purposes such as landscape irrigation. Developing recycled water reduces the amount of drinking water used for landscape irrigation, ensuring that the best and purest sources of water will be reserved for the highest use – public drinking water. In addition to preserving drinking water for potable demands, recycled water also provides a drought-proof, sustainable water source, increases the regional water system’s reliability, and reduces wastewater discharges to the San Francisco Bay and Pacific Ocean.

Golden Gate Park

The San Francisco Recycled Water Program currently includes three proposed projects:

Westside Recycled Water Project – The Proposed Westside Recycled Water Project would provide recycled water to a variety of users on the Westside of San Francisco primarily for landscape irrigation. Planned users include Golden Gate Park, Lincoln Park Golf Course, the San Francisco Zoo, and selected street medians. The water could be used for limited commercial and municipal uses as well.

Harding Park Golf Course
Harding Park Recycled Water Project – The Proposed Harding Park Recycled Water Project would use available recycled water from the North San Mateo County Sanitation District (NSMCSD) located in Daly City, to irrigate Harding Park and Fleming Park golf courses in San Francisco. The SFPUC has partnered with the NSMCSD for this proposed project.

Sharp Park Golf Course
Sharp Park Recycled Water Project – The Proposed Sharp Park Project would provide recycled water to irrigate the Sharp Park Golf Course in Pacifica, and other nearby areas. When completed, the project would save up to approximately 40 million gallons of drinking water each year. SFPUC has partnered with the North Coast County Water District for this proposed project.