Grand jury commends SFPUC on drinking water safety, asks for help on citizen testing program

The Government Audit and Oversight Committee heard a largely positive civil grand jury report on the city’s drinking water and the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission’s stewardship.

David Stein, presenting the jury’s findings, praised SFPUC practices, noting Hetch Hetchy’s protected source and testing and concluding the system could manage drought and protect public health. The jury reviewed an earlier backflow incident in 2015, concluded PUC detection and reporting met expectations and said the city’s system lacks the lead‑pipe vulnerability that produced trouble in Flint, Michigan. The grand jury nonetheless suggested the PUC could do more to help consumers discover lead at taps — recommending the PUC create a certification or tracking program for tested taps (including drinking fountains) so results would be discoverable rather than leaving testing solely to individuals who pay $25 per test.

Andrew DeGuassa, SFPUC water quality division director, said the PUC is willing to work with other city departments and conduct monitoring but warned that a formal citywide certification program would require additional resources and structure the PUC does not currently provide. He said the PUC has worked with departments such as the housing authority to monitor on a departmental basis and has limited staffing amid a de facto hiring freeze.

The committee accepted the grand jury’s commendation of the PUC’s water stewardship and amended a small portion of the resolution before sending items to the full board with the recommended language.