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SFPUC defends concentrated bleach use, emphasizes odor-control alternatives after media attention
Summary
The San Francisco Public Utility Commission said it does not discharge sodium hypochlorite (bleach) to the bay and outlined odor-control steps—vent stacks, sewer cleaning, grease-to-biofuel programs and pilot trials of biological products—while acknowledging rising sodium-hypochlorite use for wastewater odor control.
Tommy Mualala, assistant general manager for wastewater, told the San Francisco Public Utility Commission that the agency uses a concentrated sodium hypochlorite solution (about 12–15%) for disinfection and odor control and that the PUC does not dump bleach into the bay.
"Absolutely not," Mualala said. "Our permit specifically says, thou shalt not dump any bleach, any residual bleach into the bay or receiving water." He said the PUC dechlorinates wastewater effluent before discharge using sodium bisulfite and runs fish bioassays to verify no toxic effect.
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