Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Wsip topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
SFPUC reports WSIP near 90% complete; Calaveras Dam ahead of schedule with remaining risks
Summary
The Water System Improvement Program is roughly 89.6% complete overall, the local program is effectively complete and Calaveras Dam construction is about 70% finished; staff flagged closeout litigation and habitat program delays tied to drought and pathogens.
Dan Wade, director of the Water System Improvement Program (WSIP), told the commission Aug. 11 that the regional WSIP is about 88.7% complete, the local program is 99.3% complete and the overall program is roughly 89.6% complete. He noted $2.6 billion of construction value remains in the regional program and said the overall WSIP remains on schedule to complete in 2019 and on budget at about $4.765 billion.
Wade highlighted milestones and remaining risks. The Calaveras Dam replacement is approximately 70% complete and ahead of schedule; crews have excavated more than 7,000,000 cubic yards of material with roughly 500,000 cubic yards remaining to remove. He listed remaining risks including sourcing quality borrow material, slope stability due to complex geology, nesting birds that have delayed work in specific areas, and weather delays.
Wade also identified several closeout and litigation issues in regional projects (San Joaquin Pipeline and Bay Division 5 pipeline litigation with Mountain Cascade) and noted a closed‑session item would discuss related litigation. He reviewed the Bioregional Habitat Restoration program, describing approximately $100 million in mitigation work, drought‑related watering needs and pathogen problems that have forced plant replacements and schedule impacts.
On local program completion Wade said all local construction except minor electrical issues at Lake Merced Pump Station are resolved and the project is in closeout. He described progress on the Alameda Creek recapture project (last remaining project in preconstruction) and the regional groundwater storage and recovery project on the peninsula (about 6% complete) that aims to supply up to 7.5 million gallons per day under drought conditions.
Wade praised workforce and training efforts tied to WSIP, including a project labor agreement that produced substantial craft hours and apprentice participation, and urged continued attention to closeout claims and contract resolution.
