Friday, April 25, 2014

San Francisco water source will include ground water


Don't worry, a shot of chlorine
should fix the contamination
San Francisco Examiner/Chris Roberts, 4/24/14.  "Blending contaminated SF groundwater with Hetch Hetchy supply makes it safe to drink, experts say."

"San Francisco tap water will soon come with some bacteria and nitrate, courtesy of sewage and fertilizer runoff. But don’t go running for the bottled stuff just yet.

....  Later this year, construction will begin on four groundwater wells on The City’s west side that are expected to be in use by 2016. The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission is aiming to tap a local source of drinking water for the first time since the 1930s, when the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and aqueduct system began operating.

....  In 2016, the SFPUC expects to begin delivering a mixture of Hetch Hetchy water and groundwater pumped from the underground aquifer that stretches from Golden Gate Park south past Lake Merced and beyond the San Mateo County line.

The SFPUC’s blend planned for future use isn’t going to go through a filtration process before it hits taps and toilets. However, according to SFPUC spokesman Tyrone Jue, it will be chlorinated slightly to kill coliform bacteria."  Read article.

Note:  photograph by Mike Koozmin from the article.

Posted by Kathy Meeh

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

yum I like bacteria and nitrates in my drinking water. Can I have a side of e coli and poop water also?

Anonymous said...

Fun fact: Our sewer plant creates discharge that is more pure than our drinking water. Not saying we should drink it, but definitely use it for other city needs.

Anonymous said...

Gray water. It should be used to water the golf course(I think it is) and center meridians.

Also the street sweepers should use it.

Anonymous said...

While "gray water" can be used for irrigation and landscaping purposes, it would take a secondary piping system to bring it to Pacifica neighborhoods. Likely cost prohibitive unless we want to either pass a bond measure or pay exorbitant water rates. Might be feasible to run a supply line Sharp Park Golf Course. However, unless San Francisco will be footing the bill. likely also too expensive even for NCCWD.

Anonymous said...

I think they did run a pipe from the sewer plant to the golf course.

Under the path going through Vallemar.

Anonymous said...

I think you're right 311. Did SF help with the cost of watering their golf course?

Anonymous said...

3:36

Never ever tell anyone I was right, no one will ever believe you!!!

Anonymous said...

503 Just another benefit to being an anonymi. We're both safe.