With special thanks to George Wooding of
the Coalition for San Francisco Neighborhoods
In mid April, the SFPUC began delivering their new “blended water” to most of San Francisco. Our neighborhood most likely will be impacted, and our tap water will become a blend of Hetch Hetchy and newly added groundwater. That groundwater initially will make up 3% of this blend, growing to 15% within four years.
The justifications for this move include years of drought, fear of natural disaster, and state legislation that required the City to find new sources of water to accommodate additional growth.
So what’s the problem?
According to the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), well water is particularly liable to have high nitrate levels due to improper well construction and location. The most effective means of removing nitrates from drinking water supplies are ion exchange, reverse osmosis, and electrodialysis. But unfortunately, none of these means are being used by the SFPUC to remove nitrates from our groundwater.
Secondly, the drought conditions that gave justification for blending our high-quality Hetch Hetchy water no longer exist and, in fact, 46 of 48 climate stations in California are above normal in rainfall for this time of the year. And that doesn’t even consider the largest snow pack in the Sierras since 1982-1983 that will translate into record run-offs this spring and summer.
Obviously, we shouldn't count on such bountiful rainfall conditions to continue, but there is no need this year – or perhaps even next – to rush with blending groundwater into our tap water supply.
How will I know if I'm getting “blended” water?
The only way to find out is to call the SFPUC and give them your address so that they can tell you if your tap water is blended or not.
SFPUC Communications - (415) 554-3289
We encourage you to contact our Supervisor Sheehy and his fellow supervisors asking them to either stop the SFPUC from blending Hetch Hetchy water with groundwater, or if they do, to use more effective means for removing nitrates from the groundwater being used.
Here’s a sample letter:
To:
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cc:
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Subject:
Concerns about Our Tap Water
Honorable Supervisor Sheehy and Fellow Supervisors,
My name is [INSERT YOUR NAME], and I live on [INSERT YOUR ADDRESS] Street in Noe Valley.
I am writing to express my concerns regarding the blending of Hetch Hatchy water supply with groundwater to make up our tap water. I urge you to:
- Consider our current water surplus conditions to ask the SFPUC to postpone their plans for blending Hetch Hetchy water with groundwater.
- Require the Water Department to install nitrate decontamination systems such as ion exchange, reverse osmosis, and electrodialysis to decontaminate groundwater more effectively.
- Hold a public hearing to allow us to express our concerns formally.
Thank you in advance for your prompt attention to this urgent matter.
