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PUC outlines Lake Merced watershed projects, funding and timeline for cleanup plan
Summary
At an off‑site Lake Merced workshop, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission staff detailed a stakeholder‑driven watershed report, groundwater and recycled‑water projects, and funding sources including a $500,000 boating grant and a $2 million parks bond allocation; staff said a draft cleanup plan for a contaminated Rod & Gun Club site is being prepared for regulatory review.
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission President Torres convened a special Lake Merced workshop where PUC and Recreation and Parks staff reviewed the Lake Merced Watershed Report, current projects and near‑term funding plans.
The PUC’s water staff and Recreation and Parks General Manager Phil Biverton emphasized that the watershed report — developed with stakeholder input — identifies roughly 120 recommended actions across ecology, water supply, recreation and transportation. “It was a stakeholder driven process,” a staff presenter said, noting many recommendations will require coordination with other city agencies such as the Municipal Transportation Agency and Rec & Parks.
Why it matters: staff framed the work at Lake Merced as part habitat protection and part city infrastructure. The PUC highlighted projects meant to diversify supply — including a West‑side groundwater project to feed Sunset and Sutro reservoirs and increased use of recycled water — and told the commission the groundwater project’s environmental review is currently open for public comment and that the agency hopes to bring project positions forward by year‑end.
Details and funding: presenters said the PUC pays about $300,000 annually to Rec & Parks for lake maintenance and that Rec & Parks invests roughly $150,000 more, for about $500,000 total in routine stewardship. Staff reported $13,000,000 placed in the PUC budget to underwrite remediation work at a contaminated parcel formerly used by a shooting range; they also announced a $500,000 grant from the Department of Boating and Waterways to improve North Lake access. The 2012 parks bond was cited as containing a $2,000,000 set‑aside for Lake Merced improvements that staff will program through a stakeholder process.
Contamination and timetable: staff acknowledged historic contamination at the former Rod & Gun Club parcel, including lead shot and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). They said a draft cleanup plan is being prepared for submission to the Regional Water Quality Control Board and that construction‑phase excavation could require months once regulatory approvals are in hand. A staff speaker summarized the public‑health framing: lead shot under water is generally stable, but on‑land contamination requires engineered remediation and regulatory sign‑off.
Next steps: staff proposed convening a Lake Merced working group to guide how bond and grant funds are spent, to refine priorities, and to hold project‑level community outreach for each proposed use. Commissioners asked for more frequent stakeholder engagement — one commissioner suggested quarterly then biannual meetings — and staff promised follow‑up on water‑quality data, the groundwater EIR schedule and the cleanup plan’s regulatory timeline.
Votes at a glance: the meeting approved the consent calendar by voice vote earlier in the session; no roll‑call tally was recorded on the transcript.
The commission left the record open for additional written comment and scheduled staff to return with more detailed project timetables and community engagement plans before making final land‑use or funding commitments.
