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Court Upholds California Rules to Protect Fish, But Newsom Wants a Lenient Delta Approach

A Sacramento judge upheld a decision by California’s water regulator to cut back agricultural and municipal water use from the San Joaquin River. The decision could lend support for future regulations in the rest of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta system.

’We’re Looking Really, Really Good’: Bay Area Water Agencies End Water Restrictions, Drought Surcharges

Nothing says the end of drought like ending water restrictions — and the pesky drought surcharges on utility bills.

On the heels of California’s remarkably wet winter, the Bay Area’s biggest water agencies, including the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission and East Bay Municipal Utility District, have either rescinded their drought policies or are about to do so.

San Francisco Cuts Deal With California Water Regulators to Avoid Severe Restrictions

Three of California’s biggest water suppliers, including the city of San Francisco, have reached a deal with the state that calls for reducing their immense consumption of river water but not as much as the state had initially demanded. The compromise, announced Thursday, is the latest breakthrough in a years-long effort by state regulators to protect flows in California’s once-grand but increasingly overdrawn rivers.

SFPUC Calls For 10% Voluntary Reduction In Water Use As It Declares Water Emergency

The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission is urging nearly 3 million water customers throughout the Bay Area to cut water usage by 10%, as it declares a water shortage emergency due to the ongoing drought.

“With California still experiencing devastating drought and the uncertainty around this rainy season, we need to make tough decisions that will ensure that our water source continues to be reliable and dependable for the future,” Mayor London Breed said in a statement Tuesday.

Now It’s San Francisco’s Turn to Ask Residents, Suburban Customers to Cut Water Use

San Francisco’s robust water supply, long unruffled by the severe dry spell now in its second year, has finally begun to feel the pinch of drought, and city water managers are recognizing it may be time to cut back.

Officials at the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission plan to ask city residents and businesses to reduce water use by 5%, compared to two years ago, and ask the more than two dozen communities that buy water from the city to reduce water use nearly 14%. The goal is a cumulative 10% savings.

Supes Boost Water Reuse Requirements for New Buildings

New buildings will need to collect and reuse much more water than what is required for existing buildings, after the San Francisco Board of Supervisors approved new regulations Tuesday.

The ordinance more than doubles the amount of water that new large buildings will be required to collect and reuse on site, said Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, its author. He said it also directs the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission to come up with a plan for expanding The City’s supply and use of recycled water.

California’s 2021 Drought: What’s Happening Now and What the Water Shortages Mean For You

In the Bay Area, most people get their water from big utilities that have lots of water, even during a drought. Your tap is not at risk of running dry.

The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission and East Bay Municipal Water District, two of the region’s largest suppliers, have already said they’re likely to get by this summer without the need for water restrictions. They’re still urging conservation, however.

Hetch Hetchy Water & Power Plans Five-Year $140M Mountain Tunnel Project

The City and County of San Francisco and the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission are planning a five-year $140 million project beginning next year to repair, rehabilitate and upgrade the 19-mile-long Mountain Tunnel, a key component of the Hetch Hetchy Water System that takes water from Tuolumne County and sends it to San Francisco.

Will the Storm Move the Drought Needle?

Bay Area water agencies, starved for snow and rain, are encouraged by this week’s storm system.

But managers say it’s too early to say if it will have a lasting impact.

Opinion: San Francisco – Save the River You Drink From

San Francisco rightly prides itself on being an environmental leader. Given this deep commitment to protecting the environment, the city’s water agency — the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission — should be a leader in smart, sustainable water policy. Unfortunately, that has not been the case. But Mayor London Breed now has a once-in-a-decade chance to turn the SFPUC in a new direction by appointing a progressive, visionary new general manager who reflects the city’s values.