Crystal Springs lower and upper reservoirs upgrade

San Mateo County Times/Aaron Kinney.  "Seismic overhaul of Hetch Hetchy system reaches midway point."  

Crystal Springs reservoirs, a Bay Area shared water resource

Nearly 10 years after voters approved a seismic overhaul of the Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System, the $4.6 billion undertaking has reached the halfway point.  ....The dam is part of the Hetch Hetchty Water System managed by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission that provides drinking water to 2.6 million people in the Bay Area and supplies water for firefighting throughout the region.   

...The parapet of the dam just west of Interstate 280 in unincorporated San Mateo County has been raised 9 feet, and the spillway has been widened from 88 to 208 feet. These improvements will enable the Lower and Upper Crystal Springs reservoirs to return to their full capacity of 22 billion gallons, ensuring there will be more water available in case of emergency. 

Without the improvement program, the system would be vulnerable to severe damage when the next big one hits, SFPUC officials say, with water service disrupted as long as a month or more. The goal once the overhaul is complete in 2016 will be to restore service within 24 hours of a major temblor.  Read Article.

Posted by Kathy Meeh