As we commemorate this 100th anniversary of the 1906 earthquake, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) pays tribute to the Hetch Hetchy water system, a direct result of the City’s early devastation by earthquake and fire.

Today, pristine Sierra snowmelt fills the Hetch Hetchy reservoir and, along with rainfall from the Alameda and Peninsula watersheds, provides San Francisco with some of the nation’s highest quality drinking water. In 2005, as in previous years, the SFPUC’s water quality met or exceeded the standards set by federal and state regulatory agencies. Members of our water quality staff won national acclaim again this year from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

This state mandated annual report on your drinking water highlights San Francisco’s commitment to excellence in
water quality.

Susan Leal
General Manager

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Ensuring the Highest Water Quality
During 2005, the SFPUC’s Water Quality Bureau collected more than 33,800 samples from its source and treated water supplies. From those samples, over 103,300 water quality tests were conducted. All compliance monitoring results met or exceeded federal and state drinking water regulations. Samples are taken from locations throughout the entire water delivery system from the Hetch Hetchy reservoir, along our 167-mile transmission pipelines, and down through the San Francisco distribution system that delivers your tap water.

As water travels over the surface of the land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally-occurring minerals and, in some cases, radioactive material, and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity. Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk.

Contaminants below detection limits, such as arsenic, perchlorate, MTBE, and others, are not listed. The table contains the name of each contaminant, the applicable drinking water standards or action levels, the ideal goals for public health, the amount detected in water, the typical contaminant sources, and footnotes explaining the findings.

Contaminants that may be present in source water include:

• Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, that may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife.
  
• Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, that can be naturally-occurring or result from urban stormwater runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming.
  
• Pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban stormwater runoff, and residential uses.
  
• Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, that are byproducts of industrial processes and petroleum production, and can also come from gas stations, urban stormwater runoff, agricultural application, and septic systems.
  
• Radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally-occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.

In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the State Department of Health Services (Department) prescribe regulations that limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. Department regulations also establish limits for contaminants in bottled water that must provide the same protection for public health. More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the USEPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline 800-426-4791.

How Your Water Measures Up
Following are definitions of key terms noted on the adjacent water quality data chart. These terms refer to the standards and goals for water quality described below.

Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL): The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. Primary MCLs are set as close to the PHGs (or MCLGs) as is economically and technologically feasible. Secondary MCLs are set to protect the odor, taste, and appearance of drinking water.

Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG): The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs are set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Public Health Goal (PHG): The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk
to health. PHGs are set by the California Environmental Protection Agency.

Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (MRDL): The level of a disinfectant added for water treatment that may not be exceeded at the consumer’s tap.

Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal (MRDLG): The level of a disinfectant added for water treatment below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MRDLGs are set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Primary Drinking Water Standard (PDWS): MCLs and MRDLs for contaminants that affect health along with their
monitoring and reporting requirements, and water treatment requirements.

Treatment Technique: A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.

Regulatory Action Level: The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other
requirements that a water system must follow.

Cryptosporidium and Giardia are parasitic microbes found in most surface water supplies. The SFPUC tests for them regularly both in source and treated water supplies. If ingested, either parasite may produce symptoms of diarrhea,
stomach cramps, upset stomach and slight fever. Both were occasionally found at very low levels in the SFPUC’s water in 2005.

Fluoride: Nature’s Cavity Fighter
San Francisco has been adding fluoride to the City’s drinking water for more than 50 years to protect dental health. In November 2005, the SFPUC completed the fluoridation of its entire wholesale service area. For more information in either English, Spanish, or Chinese, call the toll-free fluoride information line at 866-668-6008.

Chloramine Helps Reduce Carcinogenic Byproducts
The SFPUC converted its residual drinking water disinfectant from chlorine to chloramine in 2004. Since then, it has helped significantly reduce the levels of trihalomethanes (THMs) in our water. THMs are disinfection byproducts and potentially cancer-causing substances. By applying a residual disinfectant that reduces their formation, the SFPUC has chosen a treatment process that is beneficial to the health of its customers.

When buying fish, consult your pet store about tablets to protect the health of your fish. Chloramine as well as chlorine needs to be removed before placing fish in tap water.

Reducing Lead from Plumbing Fixtures
The SFPUC has removed all known lead service lines since the 1980s and has been replacing brass meters with leadfree meters since 2002. However, some homes in San Francisco may have increased levels of lead in their tap water caused by the deterioration of household plumbing materials that contain lead. Infants and young children are typically at greatest health risk. If you are concerned about elevated lead levels in your water, have your water tested or flush your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using the water whenever the tap has not been used for several hours.

For more information or to schedule a test, call 415-554-8930. In partnership with the Childhood Lead Prevention program, we continue to offer free lead tests to qualified residents including families with the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program.

The SFPUC also offers lead-free kitchen faucets to San Francisco customers at a discounted price of $10 ($110 value). For more information and an application form, visit us on-line at http://faucet.sfwater.org. 

Special Health Needs
Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water, including bottled water, than the general population. Immuno-compromised persons such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly, and infants can be particularly at risk from infections. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers. USEPA/Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline 800-426-4791.

Our Drinking Water Sources
The sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. For our system, the major water source originates from spring snowmelt flowing down the Tuolumne River and is stored in the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. This pristine water source meets all federal and state criteria for watershed protection, disinfection treatment, bacteriological quality and operational standards. For these reasons, the California Department of Health Services has granted this water source a filtration exemption.

The Alameda Watershed spans more than 35,000 acres in Alameda and Santa Clara counties. Surface water from rainfall and runoff is collected in the Calaveras and San Antonio reservoirs. Prior to distribution, water from the watershed is treated at the Sunol Valley Water Treatment Plant. This surface water source is supplemented by a small amount of groundwater collected by the Sunol Filter Galleries near the Town of Sunol.

Surface water from rainfall and runoff captured in the 23,000-acre Peninsula Watershed, which is located in San Mateo County, is stored in four reservoirs: Crystal Springs (Lower and Upper), San Andreas, Pilarcitos and Stone Dam. This water source is treated at the Harry Tracy Water Treatment Plant prior to delivery to customers.

Our Commitment to the Future
Continued delivery of the highest quality drinking water is a key service goal of our large-scale Water System Improvement Program.

At the Pulgas Balancing Reservoir, upgrades to the inlet/outlet will provide better mixing and enhance water quality within the reservoir. To meet increasing federal and state regulatory requirements, the SFPUC will build an Advanced Disinfection Facility that will provide inactivation of Cryptosporidium and other microbial pathogens from the Hetch Hetchy water supply. Other water quality projects include upgrading disinfection facilities at key compliance locations, building a new 22.5 million gallon water storage reservoir in Sunol Valley, providing treatment improvements to the Harry Tracy Water Treatment Plant, and further improving the Pulgas Balancing Reservoir on the Peninsula.

Additionally throughout the system, the SFPUC will upgrade valves and piping, install backflow devices, improve sampling and monitoring capabilities, and make other system modifications to comply with increasing distribution system sanitary standards. Learn more about our water system improvements.

Where Our Water Comes From
In 2005, the Hetch Hetchy watershed provided approximately 91% of our total water supply; the Alameda and Peninsula watersheds produced about 9%.

Protecting Our Watersheds
The SFPUC aggressively protects the natural water resources entrusted to its care by continuously monitoring its watersheds’ weather conditions, water turbidity levels, and microbial contaminants. The 2005 annual update of the Watershed Control Program and Sanitary Survey describes the Hetch Hetchy watershed and water supply system, identifies potential sources of contamination in the watershed, discusses the existing and recommended watershed management practices that protect water quality, and summarizes the water quality monitoring conducted in 2005.

The SFPUC also conducts a sanitary survey of local watersheds every five years. The 2005 assessment found that SFPUC watersheds have very low levels of contaminants, which are associated with wildlife and, to a limited extent, human recreational activity.

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Let us hear from you
Water quality policy issues are decided at SFPUC Commission hearings. These meetings are held the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at 1:30 pm at San Francisco City Hall.

The meeting agenda is available to the public on the Friday prior to the week of the meeting. For more information about upcoming meetings, call 415-554-3165 or visit our website section about the Commission. 

Let us know what you think of this report. If you have suggestions, please contact us at feedback@sfwater.org or by calling 415-554-3289.

Want to learn more about drinking water regulations? Visit California Department of Health Services www.dhs.ca.gov or U.S. Environmental Protection Agency www.epa.gov. Call (415) 554-3444 to report a water or sewer problem.

For more information about the contents of this report call toll-free 877-737-8297 or 415-551-3000, or visit us on-line at www.sfwater.org/quality.

Este reporte contiene información muy importante sobres el agua que toma. Llame a SFPUC Customer Service Bureau (415) 551-3000 sí necesita ayuda en español.

Ang ulat na ito ay naglalaman ng mahalagang impormasyon ukol sa iniinom ninyong tubig. Tumawag po lamang sa SFPUC Customer Service Bureau sa telepono (415) 551-3000 kung kailangan ninyo ng tulong sa wikang tagalog.

For other languages call 415-551-3000