Read the latest news and stories of the Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System on the Peninsula, in the East Bay, and beyond. Learn about the SFPUC’s system, the staff who operate and maintain it, and the Agency’s ongoing efforts to support the communities we serve.
Track individual construction projects at the SFPUC construction page.
- Sunol Long Term Improvements Project Wins 2020 San Francisco Collaborative Partnering AwardBy Betsy Lauppe RhodesNovember 3, 2020Most every major infrastructure project encounters challenges during construction. The Sunol Yard Long Term Improvement Project was no exception. However, the manner in which the project team joined ...
A Look Back in History: Life at the Dam
By Leslie FisherAugust 17, 2020A 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 ...A Look Back in History: Bedrock Contour Map of Hetch Hetchy Dam Site
By Leslie FisherAugust 3, 2020The original O’Shaughnessy Dam was 226 feet above riverbed. It was raised from its original height in 1938. Today the O’Shaughnessy Dam is 312 feet above riverbed and 430 feet above bedrock. Below is ...How a Little-Known Powerhouse Keeps San Francisco Running
By Jackie RandazzoJuly 21, 2020Moccasin Powerhouse is situated near the base of beautiful rolling hills along a creek in Tuolumne County 130 miles east of San Francisco. Unbeknownst to many a visitor passing by, it is a vital ...A Look Back in History: Hetch Hetchy Dam Factoids
By Leslie FisherJuly 6, 2020The photograph below is the cover to Contract No. 61 of the San Francisco Department of Public Works. The contract is for the construction of Hetch Hetchy Dam. Notice that it is the “Proposal form” ...Construction Work Begins on New Alameda Creek Watershed Center in Sunol
By Will ReismanJuly 1, 2020Construction work has begun on the SFPUC’s Alameda Creek Watershed Center in Sunol, which will raise awareness of the natural and cultural history of the Alameda Creek Watershed and the Hetch ...A Look Back in History: Spring Valley Water Company: Land & Water Rights in Alameda County
By Leslie FisherJune 15, 2020The Spring Valley Water Company (SVWC) had envisioned a large reservoir in the East Bay as early as 1875. They started acquiring land and water rights in Alameda County at this time. The first land ...Construction on the Alameda Creek Watershed Center in Sunol Resumes
By Betsy Lauppe RhodesJune 10, 2020The SFPUC has resumed construction on an interpretive center on our watershed lands in unincorporated Alameda County. Located adjacent to the Sunol Water Temple in the East Bay at the historic ...A Look Back in History: Eagle-Eyeing San Andreas Reservoir from the Ground
By Leslie FisherJune 8, 2020The following is an excerpt from History of San Mateo County California by Roy W. Cloud published in 1928. This chapter in turn was written by George A. Elliott, Vice President and Chief Engineer of ...A Look Back in History: Spring Valley Water Company Agriculture in Pleasanton
By Leslie FisherMay 26, 2020Pleasanton is located in the Amador Valley in eastern Alameda County. It is bounded by the Diablo Range foothills on the north and south, the coastal Pleasanton Ridge on the west, and the adjacent ...A Look Back in History: Pescadero Creek Riparian Rights Offer
By Leslie FisherApril 27, 2020Filed under “Coast Streams” with a subject heading of “Riparian Rights,” this short internal memo from Peninsula Supervisor W.B. Lawrence to Spring Valley Water Company General Manager S.P Eastman ...Pile Burning on Peninsula Reduces the Risk of Fire
By Betsy Lauppe RhodesApril 24, 2020Fires smoldered at several locations on the SFPUC’s watershed lands the week of April 3. The SFPUC’s watershed staff could not have been happier. The SFPUC owns approximately 23,000 acres ...Crystal Springs Road Closure for San Andreas Pipeline Replacement Prompts Detour for San Bruno Traffic
By Steve KechApril 20, 2020Replacing a large pipeline across a busy street is always a challenge. The contractor replacing vulnerable sections of the San Andreas Pipeline 2 project in San Bruno had originally planned to ...Pulgas Water Temple and Fifield-Cahill Ridge Trail Close to Prevent Spread of COVID-19
By Betsy Lauppe RhodesMarch 26, 2020The SFPUC closed two of its San Mateo County public attractions on March 24, 2020 in an effort to prevent the spread of coronavirus. On Monday, March 16, 2020 Mayor London Breed and the San Francisco ...Meet Bree Candiloro, SFPUC Chief Nursery Specialist
By Betsy Lauppe RhodesMarch 13, 2020For SFPUC Chief Nursery Specialist Bree Candiloro, a typical day at the office includes assessing the health of the plants, checking the SFPUC’s nursery and facilities to ensure everything is ...SFPUC Crews Utilize Remote Operated Vehicle Called the Falcon to Inspect Crucial Water Tunnel
By Amy SinclairMarch 10, 2020The SFPUC serves drinking water to 2.7 million Bay Area customers through hundreds of miles of pipelines and several tunnels. The SFPUC’s Water Supply and Treatment Division (WSTD) routinely ...Engineers and Scientists Bring STEM Activities to Classrooms in Tuolumne County
By Will ReismanMarch 6, 2020The SFPUC and its social impact partners, Stantec, Wood Group PLC, McMillen Jacobs Associates, and Black and Veatch will once again participate in Tuolumne County’s annual Engineers and Scientists in ...Thriving with Nature: Meet Watershed Keeper Supervisor Sarah Lenz
By Amy SinclairMarch 2, 2020When your office is literally in nature, seeing wild animals can be a daily occurrence. Sarah Lenz, watershed keeper supervisor in the Peninsula Watershed, is part of a small team of dedicated people ...A Look Back in History: Stream Flows in San Mateo County
By Leslie FisherFebruary 21, 2020The following letter dated January 21, 1918 from the SFPUC Archives reports on Peninsula Stream Flows. Letter dated January 21, 1918 from the SFPUC Archives reports on Peninsula Stream Flows. ...A Look Back in History: Calaveras Plane Crash of 1960
By Leslie FisherFebruary 10, 2020A plane crash happened. The good news was that there were no fatalities and the pilot survived. In the news clips that follow, reporters provide very different takes on the misadventure of a young ...