San Francisco Public Utilities Commission facts for kids
SFPUC logo
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| Agency overview | |
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| Formed | 1932 |
| Jurisdiction | City and County of San Francisco |
| Headquarters | 525 Golden Gate Ave., San Francisco, CA 94102 |
| Employees | ~2,800 |
| Annual budget | $816.5m USD (2011-12) |
| Agency executive |
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| Website | sfpuc.org |
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) is a public agency in San Francisco. It provides important services like water, wastewater (sewage), and electricity. The SFPUC serves the city of San Francisco and about 1.9 million other customers. These customers live in three nearby San Francisco Bay Area counties.
Contents
What the SFPUC Does
The SFPUC manages a big system to supply water. This system includes reservoirs, tunnels, pipelines, and places that clean the water. It is the third largest public utility agency in California. The SFPUC also protects its land around water sources. They use special trucks for security and fire safety.
Water for Millions
The SFPUC provides fresh water from the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. This water goes to 2.7 million customers for homes, businesses, and factories. About one-third of the water goes to San Francisco. The other two-thirds goes to Alameda, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties.
Providing Power
Since 2005, the SFPUC's Power Enterprise Division has supplied electricity. It powers many city places like Muni (the city's public transport) and San Francisco International Airport. It also provides power to some irrigation districts. The SFPUC also runs CleanPowerSF. This program lets communities choose their electricity supplier, following California law. The SFPUC is also in charge of water, electricity, and wastewater for people on Treasure Island and Yerba Buena Island.
Managing Wastewater
The SFPUC also manages a large wastewater system. This system collects and treats sewage and stormwater from San Francisco. It cleans the water before releasing it into the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean. The Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant handles about 80% of the city's wastewater. The Oceanside Water Pollution Control Plant handles the other 20%. A third plant, the North Point Wet-Weather Facility, works only when it rains a lot. It cleans the water a bit before sending it into the San Francisco Bay.
How the SFPUC Started
In the mid-1800s, a private company called the Spring Valley Water Company (SVWC) owned most of the land that collected water in Alameda County. This company had control over water service in San Francisco.
The Sunol Water Temple
In 1906, William Bowers Bourn II, a main owner of the SVWC, hired Willis Polk. He wanted Polk to design a "water temple." This temple was built where three big underground water pipes met. Water came from different creeks and wells to this spot. Before the Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct was finished in 1934, about half of San Francisco's water went through the Sunol temple.
Becoming a Public Agency
For many years, people in San Francisco wanted the city to buy the SVWC. The first attempt in 1873 failed because voters thought the price was too high. Some say Bourn, who was wealthy, also cared about helping the city. The city of San Francisco finally bought the SVWC, including the temple, in 1930 for $40 million.
In 1932, San Francisco created a new city plan. This plan officially started the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. When it first began, the SFPUC was in charge of the Hetch Hetchy Project, the San Francisco Municipal Railway, the Water Department, and the Airport. Later, the Airport was moved to a separate Airport Commission in 1971. In 1994, the Municipal Railway also moved to its own Public Transportation Commission.
How the SFPUC is Organized
The SFPUC is led by a group of five Commissioners. The Mayor of San Francisco chooses these Commissioners. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors must then approve them. Each Commissioner is chosen for a specific reason, as stated in the city's rules:
- Seat 1: Someone with experience in environmental policy and understanding of fairness for all communities.
- Seat 2: Someone who has worked to protect the rights of customers or consumers.
- Seat 3: Someone with experience in how to pay for big projects.
- Seat 4: Someone who knows a lot about water systems, power systems, or managing public utilities.
- Seat 5: An at-large member, meaning they don't need a specific background.
The Commissioners meet twice a month. They oversee how the SFPUC operates. This includes setting prices for services, approving contracts, and making important rules.
The Commissioners also choose a General Manager. This person is the main leader of the SFPUC. Each of the six main parts of the SFPUC has an Assistant General Manager. These parts are: Business Services, External Affairs, Infrastructure, Power Enterprise, Water Enterprise, and Wastewater Enterprise.
Caring for the Environment
The SFPUC wants to make San Francisco more sustainable. The city aims to be a "zero emission city" by 2030. To help with this, the SFPUC is working on many projects for water, power, and sewer systems.
Water Projects
The SFPUC has a "Water System Improvement Program" (WSIP). This program helps them manage and improve pipelines, pump stations, and water tanks. The goal is to make sure water is used in the best way possible.
Power Projects
The SFPUC creates and provides different types of clean energy. This includes hydroelectric (from water), solar (from the sun), and biogas (from waste). This clean energy is used for city services and for citizens. The SFPUC is also working with a company called Paradox Engineering. They are trying to use street light poles to monitor city services and save energy.
Sewer Projects
The SFPUC has a "Sewer System Improvement Program" (SSIP). This program manages projects to improve pump stations and how wastewater is treated. They are also testing "Low Impact Designs" (LID). These are features like special gardens that help soak up rainwater. The goal is to reduce the amount of stormwater that goes into the wastewater treatment plants. This can save energy.
The SFPUC also works to help neighborhoods that often flood. They are addressing sewage flooding in several areas of San Francisco. Low-lying areas near the San Francisco Bay can flood during winter storms. As the land sinks, sea levels rise, and the city grows, managing runoff and sewage will continue to be a challenge.
See also
- Hetch Hetchy
- Sunol Water Temple - an unusual structure owned by the SFPUC
- Pulgas Water Temple - an inoperative structure similar to the Sunol Water Temple
- Crystal Springs Park, California
