Protecting the Natural Habitat

The SFPUC Water System Improvement Program (WSIP) environmental commitment is to continue the delivery of high quality water to its 2.6-million Bay Area customers while ensuring the protection of the environment and stewardship to our natural resources.

From the beginning, the SFPUC has been committed to thoroughly assessing and mitigating environmental impacts WSIP construction activities may create. The WSIP is investing more than$250 million in various environmental initiatives and resources. These efforts include thorough reviews of all potential impacts at both the program and project levels, environmental permits from local, state and federal resource agencies, and field mitigation and compliance monitoring during construction.

For this project specifically, the environmental team has been working closely with the contractor to ensure the protection of species such as the California Red-legged Frog.

The California Red-legged Frog is a federally listed threatened species of the United States and is protected by law.

To ensure the protection of endangered species, protective exclusion fencing has been installed around the perimeter of our work areas to keep protected species like this one out of the work area. In addition, environmental inspectors and biologists monitor the construction sites to safeguard the area and preserve habitat where possible.

Typically, fencing is often orange, diamond-shaped and transparent. For this project specifically, black tarp-like fencing has been installed to keep wildlife outside of the work area.

Happy Holidays!

In November, the BDPL3&4 team completed external surveys outside of homes in Fremont along the SFPUC’s Right Of Way (ROW). These surveys will help the SFPUC construction management team have documentation of the existing conditions of private and public property areas prior to the start of the major construction activities.

Over the last few weeks, the contractor and the SFPUC construction management team have been working closely with Caltrans and other local government entities on a phased traffic management plan for Mission Blvd. Before pipeline construction work begins, these agencies must prepare a phased plan that includes detours, lane closure(s) and traffic considerations needed for the I-680 onramp and offramp access.

Residents and motorists of the I-680/Mission Blvd. intersection are encouraged to register their email addresses or by following us on Twitter at @I680H2OPipeWork to receive updates on detours, closures or night time work activities.

Feel free to forward our blog and Twitter information to your neighbors and friends. We will be posting important traffic and project updates as the work progresses early next year.

The BDPL3&4 team wishes you and your loved ones a happy and safe holiday season! See you in 2013!

In case you missed our open house...

On behalf of the entire SFPUC construction management team, we would like to thank you for attending our recent open house event to learn more about the Seismic Upgrade of Bay Division Pipeline Nos. 3 and 4 (BDPL3&4) Project in Fremont. It was a pleasure to meet all of you and we enjoyed discussing the project and answering your questions about this upcoming work. Local residents, businesses, government agencies and even a high school science class attended our open house. We hope you all gained more knowledge about this project and the overall Hetch Hetchy Water System Improvement Program!

To better visualize the seismic improvements that will be made to the regional water delivery pipeline, please view our short video on the engineering that will be undertaken to construct this pipeline along the Hayward Fault. Click on the video icon at the end of this email.

Nearly 20 local residents attended the open house to learn more about this important regional project!

Ms. Lisa Ishimine and her science class at Mission San Jose High School in Fremont attended the open house. Approximately 25 students earned extra credit for attending. The idea behind their participation was to allow Ms. Ishimine's students to become engaged in a public works project in their community and to learn about how their water system works.

View our video on the seismic upgrade improvements to the BDPL Nos. 3 & 4 project at Hayward Fault:  

Learn about upcoming construction in your neighborhood!

Before construction begins in mid-November, please join us on Thursday, Nov. 1 to learn more about the Seismic Upgrade of Bay Division Pipeline Nos. 3 and 4 (BDPL3&4) Project in Fremont. The project team will be on hand to discuss the benefits and potential impacts of this pipeline upgrade work. Come by anytime between 3 and 4:30 p.m. to ask questions, review informational materials and to find out more about this important project! For more details, go to www.sfwater.org/seismicupgrade.

Event Details
What: Learn about the upcoming BDPL3&4 Seismic Upgrade Project
When: Thursday, Nov.1, 2012
Time: 3 to 4:30 p.m.
Where: Intersection of Tissiack Way & Nugget Place in Fremont
Light refreshments will be served.

For more information, please call 415.551.4675 or RSVP by emailing djaimes@sfwater.org.

Event Map

Be Prepared!

The 23rd anniversary of the freeway-flattening Loma Prieta earthquake is coming up on October 17th. In the event of a similar emergency, will you be prepared? Will you have enough drinking water?

Make This October Emergency Preparedness Month!
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) operates the Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System, which provides high-quality drinking water to 2.6 million residents and businesses across four Bay Area counties. The SFPUC is making the investment to seismically upgrade regional water facilities, tunnels, and pipelines. However, it is important for you to remember that smaller pipelines leading to your home might be damaged in an earthquake. As a result, water from your tap may be unavailable for up to 72 hours or longer.

To prepare for an emergency:

Keep a 3-day water supply just in case!
• Each family member needs 1 gallon per day
• Store tap water in food-grade plastic containers; replace every 6 months
• Store bottled water in the original sealed containers; replace according to expiration date.

If your supply runs out, you can treat your water!
• Boil it for 3 minutes, or disinfect it by adding regular household bleach
• Add 8 drops of bleach per gallon of water
• Shake or stir then let it stand for 30 minutes

For more tips, view our emergency preparedness videos and website: http://www.sfwater.org/beprepared or follow @WSIPInTheNews.

Pipeline Construction Work Coming to Fremont

This fall, crews will begin work on the seismic upgrade of two water pipelines where they cross the Hayward Earthquake Fault in Fremont. The pipelines, known as Bay Division Pipeline (BDPL) Nos. 3 and 4, cross three traces of the fault near the intersection of Mission Boulevard and I-680. The goal of the project is to make sure that all of our Bay Area customers have reliable water delivery following a major earthquake.

Preparation work and pipeline work will begin near Crawford Street and Tissiack Way, including the installation of fencing and staging equipment.Environmental monitoring activity will take place along the SFPUC Right of Way and around the work area.

Before major construction activities begin this November, crews will perform environmental surveys of the project site. Also, modifications will be made to nearby electrical, sewer and water lines to avoid utility interruption during construction. Overall construction is anticipated to be complete in summer 2014.

For more information, contact our 24-hour answering service at 866-973-1476 or e-mail djaimes@sfwater.org.

More updates to our construction activity will be distributed as the work nears.

Project Map 

 

USD Night Work

Union Sanitary district will be continuing their night work on Mission Blvd. USD contractor encountered a new ground conditions and will require a different technique to complete work. Neighbors may experience an increase in construction noise while construction progresses past this section. It is estimated to move through this area in a single nights work. The project will monitor noise and other environmental impacts to ensure they are within permitted limits. Traffic controls will be in place as necessary. If you have any questions please call USD Project Liaison, Conor McNamara, at (415) 200-5229.

Look How Far the Water System Improvement Program Has Come

The Water System Improvement Program (WSIP) is $4.6-billion of infrastructure upgrades, including more than 80 projects located in six Bay Area counties to ensure the highest quality drinking water and a reliable water supply to customers following an earthquake. These seismic improvements include dams, tunnels, pipelines, treatment plants and many more facilities that serve 2.6 million Bay Area customers. 2011 marked the start of the WSIP’s most active construction year to date. As of March 31, 2012, 55 out of 81 local and regional projects have been completed. All WSIP projects are forecasted to be complete in 2016. To view our progress and learn more about our water system, check out our video of water system improvements in your area here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qwqUcPIOyM&feature=youtu.be 

 

Nesting Birds & Night Work | Union Sanitary District Project

We are excited to share that USD’s Contractor, K.J. Woods Construction Company Inc., began work on the sewer relocation. Crews set up the trailers and construction areas so they can get their work done as efficiently as possible over the next several months.

USD’s construction management firm is the Covello Group. Their trailer is onsite to work closely with the USD Contractor addressing issues in the field immediately. Neighbors are encouraged to contact Project Liaison, Conor McNamara, at (415) 200-5229 or stop by the trailer to learn about their relocation project.

Covello Group Construction Management Trailer

Nesting Birds - It is spring and the Killdeer and Bushtit birds are nesting near one of the tunneling sites at Mary Beth Court, Fremont. The Contractor will begin work in another location as to not disturb the nesting birds.

Killdeer Bird

Bushtit Bird

Night work on Mission Boulevard will be May 14-18 & May 21-25 - To minimize the traffic impacts, night work will occur along Mission Blvd. near the I-680 NB on-ramp. There will be a lane closure on westbound Mission Blvd. and a closure of the NB I-680 off-ramp to westbound Mission Blvd. See the project map below for the work area.

Additional Notices were sent by the Contractor to adjacent neighbors who may be impacted by this work.

The Union Sanitary District (USD) sanitary sewer line relocation work is to prepare the site for the upcoming seismic upgrade of Bay Division Pipeline Nos. 3 and 4.

Summer Work in Preparation for Seismic Upgrade

SFPUC anticipates awarding this Seismic Upgrade Project contract within 45 days.  Once we have Commission approval, another public meeting will take place later this summer to provide you with information on the upcoming project as well as an opportunity to meet the Contractor.

           

Two relocation projects need to be completed before the Seismic Upgrade of Bay Division Pipeline Nos. 3&4 can begin. Alameda County Water District water line just completed their project. Union Sanitary District (USD) sewer pipelines cross the  Hetch Hetchy Right of Way where the Seismic Upgrade will be installed later this Fall.

Projected Timeline:

·        Summer 2012 - Union Sanitary District utility relocation and Alameda County Water District water line tie in. 

·        Fall 2012 -  Seismic Upgrade Project construction begins

·        Winter 2014 -  Expected completion of the project 

USD awarded the Sanitary Sewer Relocation Project last month to K.J. Woods Construction Inc.   Mobilization to the site is scheduled to begin early May.  The Contractor estimates project completion in August.

Here is the USD Project Area:

Starting this week, USD’s Contractor will begin mobilizing to the project site. They will install the environmental exclusion fencing around the construction site, potholing for utilities and constructing the temporary road to the project area.  

Please see below for the construction notice that was mailed out to adjacent neighbors. In addition, USD’s Contractor will issue notices to neighbors near the project site.

We will continue to update our blog as more information about this project becomes available.

Be Prepared!

In the event of an earthquake, will you have enough drinking water?

The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) operates the Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System, which provides high-quality drinking water to 2.6 million residents and businesses across four Bay Area counties. The SFPUC is making the investment to seismically upgrade regional water facilities, tunnels, and pipelines. However, it is important for you to know that smaller pipelines leading to your home might be damaged in an earthquake. As a result, water from your tap may be unavailable for up to 72 hours or longer.

To prepare for an emergency:

Keep a 3-day water supply just in case

·         Each family member needs 1 gallon per day

·         Store tap water in food-grade plastic containers; replace every 6 months

·         Store bottled water in the original sealed containers; replace according to expiration date.

If your supply runs out, you can treat your tap water

·         Boil it for 3 minutes, or disinfect it by adding regular household bleach

·         Add 8 drops of bleach per gallon of water

·         Shake or stir then let it stand for 30 minutes

For more tips, view our emergency preparedness website at www.sfwater.org/beprepared.