Wastewater Treatment Plant Tours
Have you ever wondered what happens to the water from your toilet, sink, shower, laundry, or dishwasher after it goes down the drain? What about stormwater that goes into the drains in our streets?
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission invites you on a free tour of our Southeast Wastewater Treatment Plant, where we treat 80% of the city's wastewater. You'll see firsthand how we operate this vital piece of infrastructure to treat 45 million gallons on an average dry day and up to 250 million gallons during rain. Learn the phases of wastewater treatment and what you can do to help prevent pollution of our bay and ocean.
Registration is currently open for tours on select Fridays, May through October, 2026. Tours are from 10 a.m. to noon at 750 Phelps Street. Each month, we offer one tour for individuals and one tour available to a school or group on a first-come, first-served basis. Please click one of the buttons below to see available dates for either individual or school/group tours (the links will take you to Eventbrite).
Sign up for tours as an individual
Sign up for tours as a school/group
Required documents
All tour participants must complete this: Assumption of Risk, Release of Liability, Hold Harmless, and Release of Publicity Rights Agreement (fillable PDF) and email it to wastewatertour@sfwater.org (tour liaison will send for schools/groups).
School/group tour liaisons will complete this List of Tour Participants for School/Group Tours.
What to know about the plant and the tours
- The Southeast Plant is a working facility designed to meet operational needs. It is not generally open to the public, and some areas remain restricted during tours.
- School tours are offered only for schools within the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission's wastewater service area in San Francisco.
- The minimum required age for all tour participants is 12 years old. Minors (12-17) must be accompanied by an adult. Adults (18 and older) must present valid photo ID.
- Middle schools and high schools are required to have two adult chaperones for a group of 15 students (or one chaperone for a group of 10 or less).
- The maximum number we can accommodate on a school/group tour is 15 people, and the minimum is five.
- All tour takers must complete the Assumption of Risk, Release of Liability, Hold Harmless, and Release of Publicity Rights Agreement (fillable PDF) and email it to wastewatertour@sfwater.org. For schools/groups, the liaison must send the forms by the Tuesday prior to the Friday of your tour.
- The school/group liaison must complete the List of Tour Participants for School/Group Tours and email it to wastewatertour@sfwater.org by the Tuesday prior to the Friday of your tour.
- All tour takers must adhere to the safety dress code: Hard hats and safety vests are provided and must be worn at all times. Sturdy, closed-toed shoes and socks, long pants, and long-sleeved shirts are required. No flip-flops, sandals, open-toed shoes, shorts, skirts, or tank tops.
- The tour includes about two hours of walking, standing, and climbing stairs. It could include some confined spaces, noise, and smells (though not bad for a wastewater treatment plant!). Restroom access is limited to the beginning of the tour. The tour is mostly outdoors and could include significant sun or wind exposure depending upon weather.
- We are happy to make reasonable modifications and accommodations to enable everyone to access the tour. Please email wastewatertour@sfwater.org at least two weeks in advance of your registered tour date so we can be prepared.