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Water

Leading the Way on Climate Action

Lineworker replacing street lights with Bay Bridge in background
A resident and SFPUC employee during a Water Wise Evaluation.
Conducting a Water Wise Evaluation.

The SFPUC has been critical in helping San Francisco meet its ambitious climate action goals and is a national leader in water recycling and reuse programs that help San Franciscans achieve some of California's lowest water consumption rates. Our energy programs, CleanPowerSF and Hetchy Hetchy Power, provide renewable energy and 100% greenhouse gas-free electricity to San Franciscans. We are also working to upgrade our aging combined sewer system and transform San Francisco’s stormwater resiliency by implementing different types of green infrastructure throughout the City. Learn more about some of the SFPUC's Climate Action initiatives below.

 

Innovative Water-Saving Initiatives
Climate change, and the more frequent droughts it brings, have made our water supply more vulnerable. As good stewards of our water resources, the SFPUC has worked for decades to help San Franciscans be more water efficient, pilot innovative new programs to reduce our water use, and research and find new water supply sources. Thanks to our robust Water Conservation Programs, San Franciscans use an average of 42 gallons per person, per day, which is half the state-wide average. We piloted innovative programs to help businesses reduce their water use – including partnering with Anchor Brewing Company to save up to 20 million gallons of drinking water per year. We recently installed two hydropanels at Hummingbird Farm and the SF Botanical Garden to test a technology that uses solar power to literally create water out of thin air. 

 

Power lineman installs streetlights.
Our Power programs are making it more accessible and affordable for our customers to electrify their energy uses and reduce their impact on the environment.

Promoting Equitable Access to Clean Energy

The SFPUC began generating power more than 100 years ago. Now, through our own power generation and electricity we procure through CleanPowerSF, we supply more than 70% of the electricity used in the City. We power the City’s most important assets, including our general hospital, airport, fire stations, SFUSD schools, and public transportation. To achieve the goals of the City’s Climate Action Plan and to support electrification efforts throughout San Francisco, we are offering new, innovative customer programs that support the transition from fossil fuels to 100% clean electricity.

Hetch Hetchy Power recently launched EV Charge SF, a financial incentive program to expand EV charging infrastructure in new residential and commercial development. CleanPowerSF recently launched a rebate program to help customers transition from natural gas water boilers to clean, electric powered heat pump water heaters. These programs are making it more accessible and affordable for our customers to electrify their energy uses and reduce their impact on the environment.

 

Green infrastructure garden
Our Green Infrastructure Program is helping make SF's impervious surfaces like rooftops, sidewalks, school grounds, and traffic medians as porous as possible.

Sewer System Investments for Sustainability
San Francisco is the only coastal city in the state with a combined sewer system, which collects and treats both stormwater and wastewater. With the increasing severity of climate change and extreme storm events, we are working to transform San Francisco’s stormwater resiliency by implementing different types of green infrastructure to support our City’s sewer infrastructure.

When heavy storms hit widely paved city streets, runoff can sometimes overwhelm parts of the sewer system. Through our capital projects, grant programs, and the City’s regulatory Stormwater Management Ordinance, the SFPUC is on track to meet a citywide goal of capturing 1 billion gallons of stormwater each year using green infrastructure by 2050. Our Green Infrastructure Program is helping make San Francisco’s impervious surfaces like rooftops, sidewalks, school grounds, and traffic medians as porous as possible. Green infrastructure like rain gardens and permeable paving improves our air quality, reduces wastewater treatment energy consumption, and creates green jobs.

 

Get Involved and Join Our Community for Climate Action Month Events
Join the SFPUC, SF Environment, SF Public Library, SF Parks and Rec, and more as we celebrate the City’s 4th annual Climate Action Month and work together to make change for the better. Every decision we make helps build a more sustainable and resilient future. Learn more at climateactionmonth.com.