San Francisco’s combined sewer system treats both the wastewater from our homes and offices, and the stormwater that falls from the sky (approximately 10 billion gallons a year) and lands on our paved surfaces when it rains. By leveraging a public-private partnership approach, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) is well on its way…
Category: Infrastructure
United for Infrastructure: San Andreas Pipeline #2 Repair Project Nearing Completion
The same year that the San Andreas Pipeline #2 Pipeline was originally constructed (1928), Walt Disney released his classic Steamboat Willie. Given the age of this pipeline, the SFPUC didn’t struggle to identify sections of this pipeline that required rehabilitation. The San Andreas Pipeline #2 Replacement Project in San Bruno consists of replacing about 6,500 ft…
Rebuild Better Together with Community: Southeast Community Center Gets A New Home
The fanfare, pomp and circumstance planned to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new Southeast community center were muted by the pandemic. However, construction did begin at 1550 Evans this past March on a new home for a center that will celebrate the history of Southeast activism and provide a neighborhood hub for future generations. Construction is…
SFPUC Launches “United for Infrastructure” Week
Infrastructure, according to Merriam Webster’s dictionary, is defined as, “the system of public works of a country, state, or region.” Unsung and unnoticed, infrastructure propels nearly every aspect of daily lives. It is our job here at the SFPUC to ensure that the water, power, and sewer infrastructure that our customers depend upon not only functions as…
A Look Back in History: Tramway Play
The Early Intake (Lower Cherry) Powerhouse began commercial operation five years before the O’Shaughnessy Dam was completed. The following photos show a 1918 peek at the tramway that ran from the “ridge” to the river-side site, which was a long way down and very steep. The “emergency stop” in the foreground of one of the…
A Look Back in History: Life at the Dam
A gem from the Hetch Hetchy construction contract No. 61 proposal is a plan showing proximity of the construction crew camp to the proposed dam site. In the lower left quadrant of the drawing, the tramway location is reaching down from the loop of Hetch Hetchy Railroad upslope. Other interesting features in the drawing depict…