Making San Francisco a Water Sensitive City Sarah Minick SFPUC Urban Watershed Management Program June 2009
OUTLINE Stormwater in San Francisco Water Sensitive Cities Low Impact Design Policies and Programs Rainwater Harvesting
Water Sensitive Cities Integrating urban water cycle management into planning & design City as catchment Alternative water portfolio Wastewater as a resource Harnessing eco-system services Low impact design Green infrastructure (Basin-scale projects, Better Streets Plan, Creek Daylighting) Water sensitive communities Policies: Green Building Ordinance, Rainwater Harvesting MOU Demonstration projects Public private partnerships: Economic incentives and small grants Fostering water sensitive behaviors: School projects, Rain Barrel Subsidy and Community Grants)
City as Catchment LESS WATER IN, LESS WATER OUT Use local resources in our San Francisco watersheds. Use rainwater, greywater, groundwater, and recycled water to reduce potable water demand & keep water out of the sewer.
LOW IMPACT DESIGN (LID) Intensive eco-roof Rain screen Permeable paving Rainwater harvesting In-street planter
Integrated Watershed Management: A new paradigm for managing the collection system Integrating the Urban Water Cycle (potable water, rainfall, wastewater, and stormwater) with urban design. Multi-disciplinary teams wastewater and civil engineers, urban planners, architects, traffic engineers, and designers. Inter-agency Collaboration
MECHANISMS FOR CHANGE Policies, Regulation & Guidance Stormwater Design Guidelines, Better Streets Plan, Rainwater Harvesting MOU Green Building Ordinance Sewer System Master Plan NPDES Permit Compliance Private Development Technical assistance Remove barriers to innovation Provide incentives Community Involvement Urban watershed planning charrette Small grants for stormwater projects Workshops Demonstration Projects Multi-purpose projects Learning by doing
Sewer System Master Plan 30-Year plan for critical infrastructure investments Demonstrate best practices Immediate system repair & upgrade while increasing performance of system Integrated Urban Watershed Management Green infrastructure Water sensitive behaviors Water sensitive policies
LEED Credits SS6.1 Stormwater quantity control SS6.2 Stormwater quality control SS5.1 Protect or restore habitat SS5.2 Maximize open space SS7.1 Urban heat island effect - non-roof SS7.2 Urban heat island effect roof WE1.1 Water efficient landscaping - reduce by 50% WE1.2 Water efficient landscaping - no potable water use or no irrigation WE2 Innovative wastewater technologies WE3.1 Water use reduction - 20% reduction WE3.1 Water use reduction - 30% reduction Total stormwater-related credits 11
Vegetation Palette Species adapted to clay soils
BMP SIZING CALCULATOR
Better Streets Plan Before After
Before After
Green Infrastructure creek daylighting & multi-purpose floodplain management
Green Infrastructure Multi-purpose green streets
Photo: Ingrid Severson Photo: Margo Bors Photo: Mara Seiling Decrease the volume of potable water used for irrigation and toilet flushing Decrease the burden on San Francisco s combined sewer Recharge groundwater Help reduce flooding and combined sewer discharges Broaden San Francisco s water portfolio
Rainwater Harvesting MOU Describes the commitments by the participating agencies Allows non-potable use of rainwater with first flush diversion only Describes required system components Lists safety and maintenance, labeling, and permitting requirements Responsibility for design, installation, and maintenance lies with the system owner
Permitting Photos: http://mrgreenbiz.wordpress.com/2008/10/05/ Plumbing permits are required for all systems connected to indoor plumbing, regardless of size Electrical permits are required for all systems using pumps or other electrical equipment or controls Building permits are required for cistern footings, foundations, enclosures, and roof structures Grading and erosion control permits may be required for underground facilities
Water Sensitive Behavior Education and outreach Community Challenge Grants for stormwater-related projects Rain Barrel Subsidy Green Schoolyards Economic Incentives
Thanks for having me! Contact information: Sarah Minick sminick@sfwater.org http://stormwater.sfwater.org Become a fan of SF Urban Watersheds on Facebook!