Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Wastewater Emergency topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
PUC reports treated effluent leak from cast-iron force main at Islas Creek; temporary repair made
Summary
Staff told the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission that divers found a roughly 2-by-10-inch crack in a 36-inch cast-iron force main at Islas Creek and performed a temporary repair; officials said the discharge was treated effluent and no untreated sewage reached the bay.
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission heard an emergency report that divers located and temporarily repaired a leak in a force main at Islas Creek that released treated effluent into a creek area near Pier 80.
Tommy Moore, identified in the meeting record as an assistant general manager handling wastewater operations, said divers inspected two pipes crossing the creek and found the 36-inch line had an elongated crack measuring about “2 inches by 10 inches,” which pushed out treated effluent into a shallow area. “There was no at no time was there any untreated, sewage that went into the bay,” Moore said, describing the discharge as treated effluent that surfaced in a normally wet-weather outfall area.
Moore told commissioners crews carried out a temporary fix overnight, installing redwood wedges and planning an internal seal once replacement parts arrive. He said the 42-inch line was inspected and found to be intact. Staff reported the affected pipe is cast iron and that the line has been in continuous service for many years; Moore said he did not have the pipe’s installation date on the record and would follow up.
Public commenters pressed for more detailed reporting and long-term monitoring. De Costa urged the Commission to provide a more complete empirical report and to explain why conduits had been installed near the force main in the past, calling for better real-time condition data on pipes and a review of any notices of violation associated with the system. Commissioners acknowledged the request and asked staff to provide more detailed follow-up information.
The Commission did not take formal action on the report; staff said they would pursue a permanent repair once parts and a full inspection timeline are available. The Commission also scheduled outreach and additional reporting to address community concerns about shipyard contamination and long-term monitoring measures.
