SF Sewer Blog

SFPUC-discounted rain barrels and cisterns… envied by Ancient Romans?

2012-01-19T16:18:00.000-08:00

Did you know that neighborhoods in Ancient Rome were designed with individual cisterns which captured rainwater from paved courtyards?

Think of all the rainwater these communities could have stored utilizing the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission’s Discounted Rain Barrel and Cistern Program!

Perhaps our program is a tad late for the Ancient Romans, but YOU can get discounts of 30-60% off 60-gallon rain barrels and up to $640 off cisterns! Click here for more information or call 415-554-0715.

Don’t let good water go to waste...

2011-10-24T16:21:00.000-07:00

... harvest rainwater!

The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) has launched year four of our popular Discounted Rain Barrel and Cistern Program. Starting now, get discounts of 30-60% off 60-gallon rain barrels and up to $640 off cisterns!

You may also wish to consider utilizing graywater. Our Laundry-to-Landscape Graywater Program lets you convert your clothes washer into a garden-watering system -- for less than $15! You’ll get a Laundry-to-Landscape kit, installation training, in-home technical assistance and more!

Click here for details on both of these programs.

Join us at a public meeting for sewer improvements on Cesar Chavez

2011-05-06T08:42:00.000-07:00

The Meeting is on Wed, 5/11 @6pm, at Leonard R. Flynn Elementary on 3125 Cesar Chavez Street (@ Harrison).

If you live or work in the area, this is a great opportunity to learn more about the sewer improvements that are about to start this summer and what will happen right after to beautify the area!

Check out the flier for more details.

Hope to see you there!

Snow in SF? Perhaps - but definitely rain!

2011-02-24T11:00:00.000-08:00

Rain (or snow) is on its way right in time for the weekend to get cozy and stay in.

Get ready for the wet weather and remove debris away from catch basins - you will help minimize flooding in your area.

You don't want anything like this catch basin in your neighborhood - do you?

If you see clogged catch basins or to report street flooding, contact 311 or @311 in SF.

Stay dry and keep warm!

No more "FOG" in San Francisco's sewers! That's FOG, as in "Fats, Oil and Grease"

2011-02-09T11:06:00.000-08:00

Exciting news for San Francisco! On Tuesday, February 8, the Board of Supervisors approved the FOG Control Ordinance that will prevent restaurant grease from going into the sewers - and help prevent grease-clogged pipes, flooding, save the city a
lot of money. Each SF spends more than $3.5 million to respond to grease-clogged pipes.

Check out the coverage on KTVU TV!

Learn more about wastewater, San Francisco's sewer system and how FOG impacts our sewers by visiting sfsewers.org.

Buy an SFPUC-discounted rain barrel or cistern and get FREE delivery!

2011-01-07T08:55:00.000-08:00

While supplies last, San Francisco residents, businesses and schools can purchase 60-gallon rain barrels and larger volume cisterns at steep discounts, compliments of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. Buy your discounted rain barrels or cisterns in January and get FREE curbside delivery!

Purchase your first barrel for $85 and each additional barrel for only $45 – that’s more than 50% off the regular retail price of $105! Cistern discounts range from $160 to $640 depending upon volume.

SFPUC-discounted rain barrels and cisterns are available at:

The Urban Farmer Store
(San Francisco location only)
2833 Vicente Street, at 40th Avenue
Phone orders are welcome: 415-661-2204 (ext. 1)

Click here for more information on this discount program, or on San Francisco’s rainwater harvesting program.

Are you a beach-goer along the bayside in San Francisco?

2011-01-04T13:00:00.000-08:00

Whatever fun stuff you do at the beaches along the bayside in S.F. - surf, kayak, fish, or just simply swim... if you can stand the water's cold temperatures or handle the currents on the Bay - take the SFPUC's survey: You will help us learn how much these places are used and in turn help us better serve you.

Take the survey and spread the word!

To learn the current status of beach water quality in San Francisco, visit http://beaches.sfwater.org or call the hotline at 1-877-SFBEACH (toll-free) or 415-242-2214.

Thinking about what to give during the holidays? Think no more: give the SFPUC the gift of your used cooking oil

2010-12-23T13:00:00.000-08:00

Your gift will have two benefits - keeping our sewers clean, and helping the environment by creating biofuel for use in vehicles.

Here is what happens if you don't gift us your used cooking oil:

Collect your used cooking oil, and drop it off at one of SFPUC's used cooking oil collection sites in San Francisco. It is easy!

For a list of drop-off sites, visit SFGreasecycle's residential web-page.

To learn more about SFPUC's used cooking oil to biofuel program, visit www.SFGreasecycle.org.

HAPPY grease-free HOLIDAYS!

Rain forecast in S.F. - just in time during a busy holiday shopping weekend!

2010-12-16T15:30:00.000-08:00

To minimize potential flooding, SFPUC crews have been preparing in advance of the weekend storm by flushing the sewer lines and cleaning catch basins.

You can help too: before you go out and about shopping for the holidays, just sweep away leaves and debris away from catch basins.

In SF, to report clogged catch basins or street flooding, contact 311 or @sf311. You can also go to http://www.sf311.org/.

Stay dry and good luck shopping in the rain!

Thinking about frying that turkey for Thanksgiving? Don't even think about pouring the fryer oil or grease down the drain!

2010-11-23T10:30:00.000-08:00

Instead, give the used grease or oil to the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), and we will turn it into biofuel for use in vehicles.

See what might happen if you pour used cooking oil down the drain:

At Thanksgiving, most people cook and share a meal with friends and family. Come next day, drop off your used grease at one of SFGreasecycle's permanent collection sites in San Francisco. By doing that, you will help reduce sewer blockages caused by fats, oil and grease and turn a waste product into something useful - biofuel.

For a list of used cooking grease drop-off sites in S.F., go to SFGreasecycle's residential web-page.

Visit SFGreasecycle.org for more information.

HAPPY greaseless THANKSGIVING!

Rainy Weekend!

2010-11-19T16:00:00.000-08:00

We love a rainy weekend; stay in and get cozy! To prepare our streets and City, help prevent local flooding by sweeping debris away from catch basins.

In SF, contact 311 or @sf311 to report clogged catch basins or street flooding. You can also go to http://www.sf311.org/.

Stay dry and have fun in the puddles!

Learn How to Make Your Own Rain Barrel System!

2010-10-29T12:34:00.000-07:00

Rainwater Harvesting: A Hands-On Workshop
Presented by Tara Hui from Greywater Action www.greywateraction.org

Learn about San Francisco's water and waste water system. Save water, save money, save our Bay and Ocean by storing rain water that is free, with simple low-cost rainwater catchment systems, and use it in the dry months.

This workshop will be hands-on. We will install a small linked barrel system at a beautiful community garden called The Greenway.

Date: Saturday Nov 6th
Time: 10am to 1 pm
Location: Visitacion Valley Greenway Community Garden

Cost: $25 to $50 sliding scale, participants will get a free 45-gal food grade barrel with completion of the class. (Limited work-trade available, contact us early for details.)

To sign-up: http://greywateraction.org/content/workshop-sign

But wait! There’s more…

The SFPUC continues its popular Discounted Rain Barrel and Cistern Program! Learn how to buy rain barrels and cisterns at more than 50% off retail prices! For details, visit:
http://sfwater.org/detail.cfm/MC_ID/14/MSC_ID/361/MTO_ID/559/C_ID/5236

FRANCESCA VIETOR, RENOWNED ENVIRONMENTALIST, ELECTED AS PRESIDENT OF S.F. PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

2010-10-27T13:48:00.000-07:00

Civic and Environmental Leadership Cited as Key Reasons for Appointment of Past President and Director of City’s Environment Commission and Department

Francesca Vietor, a respected voice in the San Francisco environmental community, was elected yesterday as President of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC). Vietor will lead the five member commission that sets policy for the City’s water, power and sewer department. Vietor, previously serving as Vice-President of the Commission, has served on the Commission since September 2008.

“I want to acknowledge the outstanding work of outgoing Commission President F.X. Crowley and congratulate Francesca on her new appointment,” said Mayor Gavin Newsom. “Francesca’s years of civic and environmental leadership will help further San Francisco and the SFPUC’s tradition of environmental stewardship and innovation.”

Vietor, a native San Franciscan, has been a dedicated voice and advocate for environmental protection programs for more than two decades. Previous positions include serving as President of the Urban Forest Council (2003-2005), Chair of the Mayor’s Environmental Transition Team (2003), President of the S.F. Commission on the Environment (1997-1999) and Director of the S.F. Department of the Environment (1999-2001). Vietor has served as the principal consultant to Ecoworks (2005-2010) and on both the staff and board of the Rainforest Action Network. She is co-founder and codirector of 1000 Flowers, a national woman’s voter registration and mobilization effort, which registered and activated over 20,000 women in 47 states.

Vietor’s community service has also included work with Bioneers, Bluewater Network, Center for Environmental Health, Commonweal, the Chez Panisse Foundation, Friends of San Francisco Public Library, the Goldman Fund, Greenpeace, International Rivers, Neighborhood Parks Council, Save the Bay and Slide Ranch, among others.

“Water, energy and wastewater are critical issues facing our communities, our city and our state,” said Vietor. “I will work with my fellow commissioners to ensure that we have adequate fresh water, clean energy and sustainable wastewater systems to protect our environment, as well as safeguard the public health and economic future of our city.”

A graduate of Georgetown University and BFA candidate at California College for the Arts, Vietor lives in San Francisco with her five-year-old daughter, Chiara.

Don’t let that rainwater go to waste!

2010-10-25T16:10:00.000-07:00

THE SFPUC CONTINUES ITS POPULAR DISCOUNTED RAIN BARREL AND CISTERN PROGRAM!

While supplies last, San Francisco residents, businesses and schools can purchase 60-gallon rain barrels and larger volume cisterns at steep discounts, compliments of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission.

Purchase your first barrel for $85 and each additional barrel for only $45 – that’s more than 50% off the regular retail price of $105! Cistern discounts range from $160 to $640 depending upon volume.

The discounted rain barrels and cisterns are available at:

The Urban Farmer Store
(San Francisco location only)
2833 Vicente Street, at 40th Avenue
Phone orders are welcome: 415-661-2204 (ext. 1)

For more information on this discount program, or on San Francisco’s rainwater harvesting program, please visit:

http://sfwater.org/mto_main.cfm/MC_ID/14/MSC_ID/361/MTO_ID/559

Rains are on the way!

2010-10-21T10:00:00.000-07:00

Have you checked on the catch basin (storm drain) in your neighborhood? Are they covered with leaves or trash? Now is the time to clear those up. Why? Leaves and debris can clog our catch basins - entryway to our combined sewer system - and may cause street flooding.

See a catch basin covered with leaves vs. a clean one:

You can do your part by raking away the leaves and put them in your green (compost) bin. Anything else in the black (garbage) bins. Make sure you wear gloves for this chore.

Too much stuff or too difficult to clean? Call San Francisco's 3-1-1 and they will immediately contact SFPUC's Sewer Operations Crews to clean. Don't attempt to remove debris below surface!

Want to learn more why it is so important to keep the catch basins clean and our sewers flowing? Visit our website at sfsewers.org.

Rainwater Harvesting for Urban Gardeners: A Hands-On Workshop

2010-10-07T17:25:00.000-07:00

Presented by Tara Hui and Christina Bertea from Greywater Action http://www.greywaterguerrillas.com/

Simple, low-cost rainwater catchment systems can increase your backyard harvest, reduce stormwater runoff and prevent combined sewer overflows, recharge aquifers, and lower your water bill. In this hands-on workshop, students will review design and build a multi-unit rain barrel system.

Date: October 23, Saturday
Time: 11 am to 4 pm
Location: 11 Wawona Street, San Francisco

Starting with a lecture, we will go over different catchment systems, and design considerations. During the hands-on portion after lunch (included in the workshop), we’ll locate the downspouts, and install a 675-gal rain-catchment system on-site, using recycled drums provided by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC).

Sign up through the Greywater Action website: http://greywateraction.org/content/workshop-sign (1st 10 people to sign-up will receive a free drum, courtesy of SFPUC, at the workshop)

$30-$100 sliding scale. (Limited work trade available. Please contact us early to inquire. Not available the day of.)

A rather unusual bike tour: visiting San Francisco’s sewers!

2010-10-05T15:00:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, September 25, close to 40 hearty cyclists embarked on a bike tour of a small segment of San Francisco’s infamous sewer system.

The cyclists (aka ‘sewer-bike enthusiasts’ including SFPUC staff) began their journey at 17th and Folsom and rode along the historic alignment of Mission Creek as it would have flowed in the 1800s.

The creek’s winding route coursed westerly along what is now Division Street, turned southwesterly, crossing Alabama and Harrison Streets, and then proceeded south between Harrison Street and Treat Avenue to Eighteenth Street. The original mouth of the creek, which would have been the estuary of Mission Creek, is west of 7th Street. The current layout of many streets south of and parallel to Market Street are curved because of the original footprints of Mission Bay and Mission Creek. Read more about the tour at streetblog.

Does this pique your interest? You can definitely learn more about our sewer system at sfsewers.org and the SFPUC’s stormwater management program, including urban watershed management, at http://stormwater.sfwater.org. Who knows? There might be another ‘sewer bike tour’ and you can find about that right here if and when that’s the case!

Sign-Up for a 3-part Gardening Workshop at Garden for the Environment

2010-10-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

San Francisco Residents- Sign-Up for a 3-part gardening workshops at the Garden for the Environment, sponsored by the SFPUC! The 3-part workshops will take place in November 2010.

Saturday, November 6, 2010:

Introduction to Organic Gardening Design: http://eventbrite.com/event/698294618

Saturday, November 12, 2010:

Introduction to Organic Garden Care: http://eventbrite.com/event/853746579

Saturday, November 19, 2010:

Introduction to Organic Garden Watering: http://eventbrite.com/event/853762627

For more information on the Garden for the Environment, please call (415)731-5627 or visit: http://www.gardenfortheenvironment.org/

The SFPUC celebrates with Leland Avenue residents and merchants the completion of the Streetscape Project

2010-09-23T14:00:00.000-07:00

The 5th annual Leland Street Fair came along just in time for the area residents and merchants to celebrate the completion of the Leland Avenue Streetscape Improvement Project. The beautifully improved streets and sidewalks incorporate stormwater elements: permeable pavers at parking strips and sidewalks, 63 new trees, and biofiltration planters installed adjacent to each catch basin. What will these new stormwater management elements do? They’ll help decrease stormwater flows to the City's combined sewer system, support water conservation goals, and link the new streetscape to neighboring green spaces along the Visitacion Valley Greenway. What else is new on Leland Avenue? LED streetlights, accessible curb ramps, corner bulb-outs, street repaving, decorative-stamped crosswalks, sidewalk furniture and public artwork.

Go and check it out for yourself!

San Francisco Police Department is participating in Nationwide Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, Saturday, September 25, 2010

2010-09-16T14:47:00.000-07:00

The San Francisco Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Agency and other local law Enforcement Agencies will be a part of a nationwide prescription drug "Take-Back" day, on Saturday, September 25, 2010 at 10 San Francisco Police Stations.

This event is from 10am-2pm. The service is free and anonymous and no questions asked. There will be collection containers for prescription pills that are expired, unused and unwanted. SFPD ask for no identifying information on bottles, and plastic bags will be available at each site, if needed.

Locations:

Central Police Station, 766 Vallejo Street, 315-2400

Southern Police Station, 850 Bryant Street, 553-1373

Bayview Police Station, 201 Williams Street, 671-2300

Mission Police Station, 630 Valencia Street, 558-5400

Northern Police Station, 1125 Fillmore Street, 614-3400

Park Police Station, 1899 Waller Street, 242-3000

Richmond Police Station, 461 6th Ave, 666-8000

Ingleside Police Station, 1 Sgt. John V. Young Lane, 404-4000

Taraval Police Station, 2345 24th Ave., 759-3100

Tenderloin Police Station, 301 Eddy St., 345-7300

For more information, visit: http://www.dea.gov/

You always hear about spring cleaning - SFPUC is all about summer cleaning!

2010-09-09T15:15:00.000-07:00

The SFPUC is hard at work cleaning and flushing the sewer lines and catch basins (storm drains) on Chestnut and Union Streets in the Marina and Cow Hollow neighborhoods. Why? Well, because for our sewer system to work properly, we need to do a “check up” and maintain them - just like we all (as in "human beings") should have an annual medical exam every year. While cleaning the sewer pipes we will also be assessing the condition of our sewers.

Check out our Sewer Operations crews at work!

These cleaning and maintenance efforts will help minimize potential flooding in the neighborhood, and the summer is ideal time as the rainy season is just around the corner.

So if you see a huge truck like the one in this picture on/around Chestnut and Union streets, you’ll know it’s because we are doing some "summer cleaning."

Ooh, remember: if you see a clogged catch basin in San Francisco, call 3-1-1 immediately.

Host a hands-on rain barrel installation workshop!

2010-08-10T11:38:00.000-07:00

Would you like to harvest the rain?

Greywater Action is looking for a few qualifying home sites on which to hold their popular “Rainwater Harvesting for Urban Gardeners” hands-on workshop. If your home qualifies, you can host a workshop and have a rainwater harvesting system built in your home or garden!

Home site requirements:

• Site must be located in San Francisco.

• Yard or garden must contain a roof downspout that has never been connected to the sewer system. (This means that water flowing through the downspout flows onto the ground.)

• Yard or garden surface is level with or slopes down from the rainwater harvesting storage area.
Hosts will need to:

• Provide lunch for workshop participants.
• Sign a liability waiver.
• Participate in a survey.
• Strap completed rainwater harvesting system to a wall or fence for seismic safety (the Department of Building Inspection requires using two 3/4-inch perforated 24-gauge steel straps). Straps will be installed during the workshop.

Hosts will be given free 45-gallon food drums (provided by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission) which will be converted into rain barrels during the workshop. Hosts will need to purchase all additional hardware required to build the system.

Note: Workshop participant fees cover teacher’s fees for the workshop. However, if participant fees fall short of covering teacher’s fees, hosts will be required to pay the difference (this occurs very rarely).

For more information or to apply to host a Greywater Action “Rainwater Harvesting for Urban Gardeners” workshop, please write to: tarahui@hotmail.com.

Double-decker buses worth of fat!

2010-07-14T15:00:00.000-07:00

BBC News UK: Massive fat mounds removed from London's sewers

Thames Water says it has removed enough fat to fill nine double decker buses from London's sewers.

Check out this video and see for yourself!

This problem is close to home as well - Fats, oil and grease (FOG) are a serious problem for San Francisco’s wastewater system too clogging our sewers and costing more than $3.5 million each year to unclog the pipes.

BUT WAIT! The SFPUC's SFGreasecycle program is there to help alleviate this fatty problem. Visit www.SFGreasecycle.org, and learn how we can turn FOG into biofuel. You should give it a try - whether you are with a restaurant or are a SF resident.

Watershed Stewardship Grants applications are due this Thursday, July 15!

2010-07-13T10:36:00.000-07:00

Reminder! The current Watershed Stewardship Grants cycle ends this Thursday, July 15!

The application is available online on the both the Urban Watershed Management Program and the Community Challenge Grant Program websites. Applications are due Thursday, July 15, 2010, no later than 4:30 PM, City Hall, Room 362. Winners will be notified the week of September 20, 2010. Applicants can get started by reviewing the following information:

· Watershed Stewardship Grant Flyer
· Watershed Stewardship Grant Evaluation Criteria

And by completing the following forms:

· CCG Project Budget Template (Word)
· CCG Reporting Forms (Word)
· CCG Volunteer Match Form (Word)

The grant is a partnership between the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission SFPUC Urban Watershed Management Program and the Community Challenge Grant Program. It is aimed at enabling community-driven implementation of green infrastructure.

For more information, visit our website at http://stormwater.sfwater.org or the Community Challenge Grant Program website at http://sfgsa.org/index.aspx?page=4264.

If you have questions specifically about the Watershed Stewardship Grants, please contact me at sminick@sfwater.org.

Good luck to all of the applicants!

Best,
Sarah Minick

Those dots by the catch basins? A sign for defeated mosquitos!

2010-07-01T12:30:00.000-07:00

Check this article out and learn about SF's eco-friendly pest management practices run by Pestec:
"Bloodthirsty Females Foiled by Bikes"