The Watershed Stewardship Curriculum was designed to teach children lessons pertaining to watershed awareness, green stormwater management, pollution awareness and prevention, and water conservation. Lessons within this curriculum can be adapted for kindergarten through 6th grade, and beyond. Watershed Stewardship Curriculum You may also want to visit the San Francisco Environment Department for additional programs and resources.

Lake Merced, located on the outskirts of San Francisco near Ocean Beach and Daly City, is a major fresh water, recreational, and natural resource for the City and County of San Francisco and the surrounding area. It is also an important stop for migratory birds on the Pacific Flyway. It is surrounded by two public golf courses - the nine-hole Fleming course and TPC Harding Park, host of the 2009 President's Cup and 2020 PGA Championship. More than half of the park is managed by the Recreation and Parks Department’s Natural Areas Program, which works to restore and protect habitat for birds and

Landscapes that utilize water-wise principles not only conserve water but help prevent runoff, provide a natural habitat for local wildlife, result in reduced maintenance costs, and contribute to the beauty of our urban landscapes. To ensure the efficient use of water for all San Francisco landscapes, projects with 500 square feet or more of new or modified landscape area are required to comply with the Water Efficient Irrigation Ordinance. Projects must design, install, and maintain efficient irrigation systems, utilize low water-use plantings, and set a Maximum Applied Water Allowance, also

To help the novice gardener or the experienced landscaper, we provide a variety of resources to help you create and maintain a beautiful, water-efficient and less toxic urban garden. Rainwater Harvesting Explore our rebates that lower the cost of a cistern or rain barrel for your home or business, enabling you to harness the bounty of rain we receive in our city. Graywater/Laundry-to-Landscape Don't let good water go to waste! Imagine using water from your shower or your clothes washer to help grow the plants in your garden. Using graywater can reduce the amount of drinking water used for

Keep your sewer lateral in good condition and help reduce the risk of sewer backups. How to Protect your Property and Environment? Never let fats, oils or grease go down the drain; compost it instead. Dumping grease down the drain can clog the sewer pipes, result in back-ups or overflows onto your property or streets, foul odors, and costly damage to sewer infrastructure. Remember that your toilet is an only-human-waste-and-toilet-paper-zone. Nothing, except the 3 P’s (pee, poop and toilet paper), go down the drains. Upper Lateral Responsibility: The upper sewer lateral is an extension of your

To be prepared for an emergency, you should know the location of your water shutoff valve and how to use it. Experts say there is more than a 60 percent chance that a major earthquake will occur in the Bay Area within the next 30 years. After such an event, your water supply might be unavailable for 72 hours or more. During an earthquake, water tanks and appliances connected to your home’s plumbing can shift and cause a leak, leading to flooding or additional damage. You can prepare for an emergency by knowing in advance where your home’s main water supply is and how to shut it off. Water

Storing drinking water is a critical part of being prepared for an emergency. Learn more about how much you should have, how to store it, and how to treat water if you need more. Experts say there is more than a 60 percent chance that a major earthquake will occur in the Bay Area within the next 30 years. After such an event, your water supply might be unavailable for 72 hours or more. This is why it is critically important to be prepared with an emergency water supply to ensure that you and your family have drinking water even in the event of a disaster. How Much Water Do I Need in My

Is your property at risk of flooding in a major rainstorm? Review our 100-Year Storm Flood Risk Map, learn about required property sale and rental disclosures, and take advantage of our resources to prepare for and minimize impacts of heavy rains on your property. 100-Year Storm Flood Risk Map As San Francisco developed over time, its hilly topography, sand dunes, creeks, and wetlands have been largely developed. During extreme storms, stormwater runoff still flows along the naturally formed historical waterways. When this occurs, we can experience flooding that sometimes results in property

We designed this educational and demonstration garden to teach local students about environmentally friendly water use, food, energy, and waste systems. It is open for field trips and group tours by appointment. The College Hill Learning Garden is an education and demonstration garden designed to teach local students about how they can help cities transition to ecologically friendly water, food, energy, and waste systems. Open to the public since April 2016, the garden is owned, maintained, and operated by the SFPUC. The Learning Garden contains dozens of interactive features, including a

Hummingbird Farm transforms underutilized land into a community farm with the goal of supporting the health and wellness of residents. The farm aims to teach water conservation and sustainable food practices to communities in the Excelsior neighborhood and the Southeast while training community leaders to promote growing and eating healthy food. About the Farm Hummingbird Farm began through a collaboration between the SFPUC and People Organizing to Demand Environmental and Economic Rights (PODER) to repurpose underutilized SFPUC property in the Excelsior neighborhood into a community farm