Thursday, December 27, 2012

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.

Friday, December 7, 2012

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!