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SFPUC adopts $68 million increase to Phase 1 of sewer improvement program
Summary
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission approved a revised 2018 baseline for Phase 1 of the Sewer System Improvement Program, adding $68 million to treatment-project budgets, a $60 million increase for the Southeast Plant headworks and schedule changes intended to reduce long-term risk.
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission unanimously approved a revised 2018 baseline for Phase 1 of the Sewer System Improvement Program (SSIP), the commission's multi‑year capital package of 70 projects with an original baseline of $2.9 billion.
Karen Kubik, director of wastewater capital, told commissioners the $68 million increase affects treatment projects most notably at the Southeast Plant, where the headworks project accounts for roughly $60 million of the change. Kubik said the scope change adds demolition of the old headworks after the new facility is built and requires extensive bypass and sequencing work; “we're taking the heart out of the patient and keeping the patient running, for about 5 years,” she said.
Kubik described other schedule impacts: a nine‑month extension for the headworks work and a 29‑month delay tied to changes in the power‑feed strategy so the power enterprise can construct an independent second feed before some SSIP upgrades proceed. She also described a redesign on the Northshore wet‑weather pump station that yielded about $14.8 million in savings but required additional redesign time.
Commissioners pressed staff on interdepartmental dependencies, right‑of‑way challenges with Caltrans on the Central Bayside project and how wet‑weather construction windows constrain work. Kubik said the revisions reflect market pressures, constructability issues and the need to coordinate with other city agencies and contractors; she said contingency and program controls remain in place and noted most projects have advanced since the 2016 baseline (from 6 to 24 projects complete).
A public commenter, David Pilpel, supported the SSIP revision while urging attention to interagency complexities. The commission moved, seconded and approved the revised baseline during the meeting.
The commission will report future red‑dot updates on scope, schedule and costs as the program advances and as bid results provide firmer estimates for remaining large packages, including biosolids work scheduled to enter procurement later in the year.
