For the past 100 years, the City of San Francisco has protected public health by operating a sewer system that reliably treats and disposes of sewage and street runoff to the Bay and Pacific Ocean.
The SSIP is the culmination of several years of wastewater system planning efforts, public meetings, and SFPUC Commission workshops, to develop proposed improvements to address the following challenges:
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System Challenges
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Aging Infrastructure
Over 60% of San Francisco sewer pipes are over 80 years old and the system gets overwhelmed during heavy rains.
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Seismic Vulnerability
Our sewer system was not built to withstand a major earthquake and facilities are seismically vulnerable.
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Climate Change
The increasing intensity and frequency of storms can overwhelm our system and contribute to flooding.
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Odor Control
Odors can be a problem when aging equipment malfunctions and during dry weather. |
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Water Quality
Continue to reduce combined sewer discharges to help improve water quality in the Bay and Ocean.
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Localized Flooding
Stormwater runoff can overwhelm our system during heavy rains and lead to neighborhood flooding.
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To learn more about the Sewer System Improvement Program, view our
Overview page.
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Ways to protect YOUR Sewer System
We work 24 hours a day, seven days a week treating everything that goes down your drain. Do your part to protect our sewer system and learn more at the resources below. We invite you to experience a green infrastructure project up close and personal, follow us on social media, and see the wastewater system in action during a tour of our treatment plants! |