Commission approves regional groundwater storage and recovery project to boost dry‑year supply
Loading...
Summary
The commission approved the Regional Groundwater Storage and Recovery Project (CUW301003), a 60,000‑acre‑foot in‑lieu storage program with partner agencies (Daly City, San Bruno, California Water Service Co.) costing about $113 million and intended to provide 7.2 million gallons per day for roughly 7.5 years during dry periods.
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission voted to approve Project CUW301003, the Regional Groundwater Storage and Recovery Project, adopting required CEQA findings and authorizing the general manager to implement the project, subject to Board of Supervisors approval where required.
Project details: WSUP Director Dan Wade (presenting) and Greg Barto (Groundwater Program Manager) explained the project is an in‑lieu conjunctive‑use reservoir that can store roughly 60,000 acre‑feet of water underground — equivalent to the combined storage of Lower and Upper Crystal Springs reservoirs — and provide approximately 7,200,000 gallons per day for 7½ years in a dry spell. Partner agencies include Daly City, the City of San Bruno and California Water Service Company; project facilities will include 16 new well stations and associated pipelines and treatment at some sites.
Cost and schedule: Staff estimated the project cost to be about $113,000,000 with construction planned for completion in July 2018 as part of the Water System Improvement Program. The project team emphasized long‑standing agreements and partnerships with the wholesale agencies and the design’s intent to promote sustainable basin storage and recovery.
Legal and environmental steps: Deputy City Attorney Josh Milstein noted errata to the CEQA findings to ensure consistency with the Final EIR adopted by the City Planning Commission; the commission added the non‑material errata and approved the updated findings. Staff said the project was designed to comply with emerging groundwater management legislation (SB 1168 as amended) and local groundwater planning efforts.
Vote and public support: The resolution (as amended with errata) passed with a vote recorded as "the ayes have it." Representatives from partner agencies and wholesalers — including a supportive statement from a wholesale representative and Daly City staff — spoke in favor of the project, noting its value for emergency and dry‑year supply reliability.
Next steps: With the commission’s approval, staff will proceed with implementation tasks, agreements with partners, and CEQA/mitigation monitoring obligations as the project moves into design and construction planning phases.
