Supervisor Fiona Ma: The City Under the City

From levees in the Sacramento Valley to the state of our roadways, infrastructure is a pressing issue that faces our state and a hot-button topic in government.

Far too often, budget constraints and priorities have caused us to put off critical repairs and necessary maintenance, sometimes with disastrous consequences. The broken levees that occurred in northern California weeks ago are just one example.

In San Francisco, we see the same symptoms in the potholes in our streets and the aging sewer systems beneath them. Making sensible investments in our infrastructure from the beginning not only protects our health and safety, but also helps prevent costly repairs later on.

In San Francisco, just such an issue is coming before us now in the form of the SF Sewer System Master Plan Project, lead by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (PUC). The Sewer System Master Plan Project was recently launched to address the infrastructure needs of our aging sewers and wastewater treatment facilities. You may have even received a mailer or seen advertisements about this important project.

The intent of the project is to look at what upgrades are needed to ensure our wastewater infrastructure is prepared for the next big earthquake. We are also looking ahead to make sure that the system is in its best possible shape for the next 30 to 50 years. Some of the problems the master plan will address involve the following: the flooding that occurs in the Sunset and Parkside districts during heavy rains; replacing more than 70 percent of San Francisco's sewers that are more than 70 years old; and diversifying our water portfolio by using sustainable alternatives like recycled water.

As with the Capital Improvement Project (CIP), the PUC is getting input from the public about the Master Plan, which is in the beginning of the process. On March 23, the PUC held a public workshop to talk about the issues facing our district. This input will help guide the development process, which will ultimately result in a plan by the end of the year.

Of course, as these projects are scheduled through the Master Plan, current projects will continue to progress, including the CIP, which will help the Sunset and Parkside districts' immediate flooding concerns.

The Vicente Phase I project was completed last month. It enlarged the sewer pipes that span from 34th to 45th avenues. Vicente Phase II, which starts next month, will enlarge the sewer pipes from 26th to 32nd avenues. Work on Lincoln Way also continues to progress, with curbwork, repaving and light pole installations being completed west of 19th Avenue.

I encourage you to get involved with the planning process for the Sewer System Master Plan Project from the beginning to make sure your voice and concerns are heard and addressed.

For more information on the Master Plan or current PUC projects, visit the PUC's Web site at www.sfsewers.org or call (415) 554-3289. Of course, you can always contact my office to let me know your thoughts on the project.

Fiona Ma is a San Francisco supervisor representing District 4.