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SFPUC eases some outdoor irrigation mandates, keeps 10% voluntary conservation call
Summary
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission voted to ease mandatory irrigation limits for some retail customers — ending a 25% mandate for dedicated irrigation accounts and reducing a 30% mandatory cut for interruptible retail customers to 10% (subject to excess-use charges) — while keeping a systemwide 10% voluntary conservation target.
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission on July 12 adopted changes to its 2015–2016 drought program that ease several mandatory outdoor-irrigation requirements while retaining a citywide call for 10% voluntary water savings.
Paula Kehoe, manager of water resources, told the commission the proposed revisions would cease a 25% mandatory reduction for dedicated irrigation retail customers, reduce the mandatory reduction for interruptible retail customers from 30% to 10% (subject to excess‑use charges), and revert wastewater flow factors adjusted for the 25% irrigation reduction back to their pre‑adjusted values. "The item before you today is to adopt changes to the 2015–2016 drought program," Kehoe said in presenting the proposal.
Kehoe and staff noted that though Hetch Hetchy reservoir levels were above 100% and Waterbank had risen, system storage had not fully recovered and the utility continues to ask customers to maintain a 10% system‑wide voluntary reduction from 2013 demand levels. The staff report cited about a 4,000 acre‑foot increase in storage since the last report but emphasized that meeting the state self‑certification stress test is not a planning guarantee for full deliveries.
Commissioners debated caution and gratitude for customers' voluntary conservation. One commissioner observed that "we passed a stress test, but the stress test isn't the plan," and urged ongoing periodic updates to track progress against the 10% target and the budgetary assumptions tied to it.
After questions and a public comment period, the commission moved, seconded and approved the changes. No roll‑call tallies by name were recorded in the transcript aside from the chair calling for "Aye," and the motion was announced as carried.
The commission said staff will continue retail conservation programs that include rebates, audits and grants and will monitor system storage and customer behavior to determine if further action is needed.
