San Francisco Archives

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.

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Climate Change May Bring Unexpected Benefits to San Francisco Bay-Delta

September 10, 2020/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Kimberlyn Velasquez /Forbesby Linh Anh Cat

The San Francisco Bay-Delta is literally threatened from all sides: rising sea levels from the ocean, disruptions to sediment supply from upstream, and within the Bay-Delta itself, development and other land use changes have left only a tiny fraction (5%) of marshland untouched.

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Some California Cities Think They’re Safe from Sea Level Rise. They’re Not, New Research Shows

August 20, 2020/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Kimberlyn Velasquez /Phys Orgby Rosanna Xia

Just north of the Golden Gate Bridge, yet a world away from San Francisco, in an unincorporated and oft-overlooked area known as Marin City, sea level rise is rarely the first worry that comes to mind. Traditional flood maps for this predominantly Black and working-class community suggest that the area is safe from rising water until 3 feet or more. But sea level rise is a lot more complicated than just waves breaking over seawalls and beaches disappearing.

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Gold Rush-Era Mercury Mine Closed in 1972 Is Still Contaminating

July 20, 2020/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Kimberlyn Velasquez /Bloomberg Lawby Emily C. Dooley

Nearly half a century after a Gold Rush-era quicksilver mining operation shut down in northern California, mercury continues to flow into a nearby creek, and federal officials blame the mine’s state landmark status for cleanup delays.

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San Francisco Awarded $513M for Wastewater Upgrades

June 19, 2020/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Kimberlyn Velasquez /Water World

EPA announced the second WIFIA Loan supporting San Francisco’s Southeast Treatment Plant, which treats 80 percent of the city’s wastewater.

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Trial Underway in SF Could Remove Fluoride from Drinking Water

June 9, 2020/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Kimberlyn Velasquez

About 200 million Americans, nearly two-thirds of the population, drink water containing fluoride to fight tooth decay. That could be changed by a case now on trial in a San Francisco federal court.

SF’s Shuttered Office Buildings Could Face New Health Threat: Unsafe Water

May 27, 2020/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Kimberlyn Velasquez /San Francisco Chronicleby J.K. Dineen

Before San Francisco office workers start streaming back to downtown high-rises again, property owners and managers need to make sure those buildings are safe. Not just from the threat of coronavirus circulating among cubicles, but from medical problems that can be caused when water in buildings sits stagnant for months.

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Trump EPA’s Targeting of San Francisco Pollution May Bring Investigation

May 19, 2020/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /San Francisco Chronicleby Tal Kopan

The nation’s environmental watchdog may investigate federal enforcement of water policy in California after Democratic lawmakers accused the Trump administration of “irregular” interference targeting San Francisco, according to a letter sent to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

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No, You Can’t Get COVID-19 From San Francisco Tap Water

March 27, 2020/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Kimberlyn Velasquez /SFGateby Mike Moffitt

Bottled water is disappearing from grocery shelves almost as fast as toilet paper, but there’s no shortage of water in California. There’s plenty flowing right out of your tap. And it’s germ-free and perfectly safe to drink. You can’t get COVID-19 from tap water.

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