Water System Improvement Program
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) proposes to adopt and implement a Water System Improvement Program (WSIP) to repair and replace aging portions of its water delivery system, which serves 2.4 million people in San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda and Tuolumne counties. These actions are intended to improve the water system’s ability to withstand earthquakes, weather droughts and provide a reliable supply of potable water to its customers through the year 2030.
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires that the decision-making agency and the public be informed about the significant environmental effects of a project or program, and ways to avoid or reduce those environmental effects, before that project or program is approved. A Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR) is the environmental review process needed to analyze the potential environmental effects of large-scale plans or programs. A PEIR focuses on the big picture issues associated with the program, rather than on the details of each project or activity within it.
Draft Program Environmental Impact Report
The Draft PEIR for the Water System Improvement Program was available for public review from June 29, 2007 until 5:00 PM, Monday, October 15, 2007. The Draft PEIR evaluates the environmental effects of the proposed changes in water supply, including growth-inducing impacts, as well as the general environmental effects of implementing 22 facility projects in the WSIP. The San Francisco Planning Department, Major Environmental Analysis Division (MEA), is the Lead Agency under CEQA conducting the program environmental review of the WSIP.
Response to Comments and Final PEIR
The Response to Comments on the Draft Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR) is being prepared by MEA at this time. The Draft PEIR together with the Response to Comments document constitutes the Final PEIR. The Response to Comments document is scheduled for release in the fall of 2008. The San Francisco Planning Commission will then hold a hearing on the Final PEIR and then decide whether to certify it as a document that reflects the independent judgment and analysis of the San Francisco Planning Department and has been completed in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act.
