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SFPUC and Environment outline steps to implement city—s bottled-water ordinance; supervisors press for a single point of contact
Summary
The committee received a status report on implementing San Francisco—s ordinance phasing out bottled water on city property; SFPUC said procedures for temporary water hookups are being formalized and estimated six months to promulgate formal standards while the Department of the Environment described outreach, enforcement and annual reporting responsibilities.
President Chu opened discussion of the city—s bottled-water ordinance, which phases out sale and distribution of plastic bottled water on city property and requires city departments to increase access to potable water at event sites.
David Briggs of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission said the PUC has been consulting permitting agencies and building owners and is formalizing standards now used on a project-by-project basis. "I think 6 months, it's doable," Briggs said when asked about a likely timeframe to formalize procedures and regulatory steps, and he described the PUC—s role in determining potability and in supporting field solutions such as temporary hookups, backflow prevention and vendor lists.
Guillermo Rodriguez of the Department of the Environment said the ordinance assigns his office three roles: education and outreach to permitting agencies and event producers, compliance/enforcement regulation development, and compiling annual reports for the Board and Mayor on exceptions and enforcement outcomes. Rodriguez said event producers have been receptive but need clear operational guidance.
Supervisors pressed staff on who would be a single point of contact for event producers and how to present accessible information about where potable water connections exist; staff said compiling a single public reference is a priority but that some site-specific solutions will vary and could require participation from multiple departments.
Departments noted existing contract inconsistencies (for example, concessions at some venues) that will require contract amendments at renewal. The committee asked staff to continue coordination and the item was continued to the call of the chair for follow-up.
