Sewerage - Revision history

Ccarlsson at 03:43, 9 July 2020

2020-07-09T03:43:07Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:43, 8 July 2020
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	By the 1860s, the area near today's Precita Park had become a small village. Some 30 houses lined the creek, drawing their water upstream and using the creek as an open sewer. The marginal water flow in the stream was inadequate to properly carry the sewage off, and as a sanitary measure, the city built the first box sewer. This sewer was thirteen feet across and ten feet tall, a wooden hallway big enough to drive a carriage through. The sewer was made large enough to carry storm flows--the volume of water that comprised a 30-foot wide creek. During dry season, the box was nearly empty, except for a trickle of liquid at the bottom. A couple years after its construction, an internal inspection found the box to be a stinking mess. Solid wastes had built up where laterals, or residential hookups, connected to the big box. Strange foliage grew in the darkness, fertilized by the human waste and compost that congealed on the floor. Indeed, the ecosystem inside the box was so efficient at removing nutrients, the water flowing out at the east end of the sewer near today's General Hospital was clean enough to drink.		By the 1860s, the area near today's Precita Park had become a small village. Some 30 houses lined the creek, drawing their water upstream and using the creek as an open sewer. The marginal water flow in the stream was inadequate to properly carry the sewage off, and as a sanitary measure, the city built the first box sewer. This sewer was thirteen feet across and ten feet tall, a wooden hallway big enough to drive a carriage through. The sewer was made large enough to carry storm flows--the volume of water that comprised a 30-foot wide creek. During dry season, the box was nearly empty, except for a trickle of liquid at the bottom. A couple years after its construction, an internal inspection found the box to be a stinking mess. Solid wastes had built up where laterals, or residential hookups, connected to the big box. Strange foliage grew in the darkness, fertilized by the human waste and compost that congealed on the floor. Indeed, the ecosystem inside the box was so efficient at removing nutrients, the water flowing out at the east end of the sewer near today's General Hospital was clean enough to drink.

	~~'''~~Sewer Design ~~'''~~		<font size=4>Sewer Design</font size>

	At the same time that Precita Creek was being turned into the Army Street sewer, London was building the world's biggest municipal waste-carrying system. It was capable of handling flows of 100 million gallons per day (mgd), which is comparable to what modern day San Francisco discharges in dry weather. Engineers in London determined the ideal slopes, sizes, and shapes for sewers, encouraging a clear design of smaller pipes flowing to larger, and a gradual slope and steady flow throughout the system.		At the same time that Precita Creek was being turned into the Army Street sewer, London was building the world's biggest municipal waste-carrying system. It was capable of handling flows of 100 million gallons per day (mgd), which is comparable to what modern day San Francisco discharges in dry weather. Engineers in London determined the ideal slopes, sizes, and shapes for sewers, encouraging a clear design of smaller pipes flowing to larger, and a gradual slope and steady flow throughout the system.
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	In dry weather, all of these plants dumped primary-treated effluent directly into the bay or ocean. However, in wet weather, they, along with all the old outfalls at Mission Creek, Mile Rock, Marina Green, Fort Funston, Griffith Street, and elsewhere spewed unprocessed sewage. Big pools of discolored, toxic water were often visible, and many residents were bothered by the continued lack of swimming and fishing opportunities along the waterfront. Even in the 1960s, with growing environmental awareness all around, people pointed out that there were often over 100 days per year when Ocean Beach was too poisoned for swimming.		In dry weather, all of these plants dumped primary-treated effluent directly into the bay or ocean. However, in wet weather, they, along with all the old outfalls at Mission Creek, Mile Rock, Marina Green, Fort Funston, Griffith Street, and elsewhere spewed unprocessed sewage. Big pools of discolored, toxic water were often visible, and many residents were bothered by the continued lack of swimming and fishing opportunities along the waterfront. Even in the 1960s, with growing environmental awareness all around, people pointed out that there were often over 100 days per year when Ocean Beach was too poisoned for swimming.

	~~'''~~The Clean Water Program ~~'''~~		<font size=4>The Clean Water Program</font size>

	Citizen annoyance combined with federal regulations to force the city to modernize its sewers even more. In 1971, the city came up with its third and most recent master plan for the sewers. It called for a series of massive boxes to be built around the city's waterfront, intercepting old outfalls like a moat. The boxes would be big enough to hold the water of normal rains, delivering it slowly enough to the treatment plants that they could treat it properly before releasing it. The captured water would be sent to modernized treatment facilities at Jerrold Street and at a new, super-modern Southwest plant by the zoo. Overflows in the east would not be dumped into the bay, but rather sent by a tremendous tunnel to the Southwest plant. That plant would spit its waste, which would always receive at least a primary treatment, out into the ocean 4.5 miles from land. This grand vision called for big money--initial cost estimates were $1.1 billion to $1.4 billion, the biggest public works project in city history.		Citizen annoyance combined with federal regulations to force the city to modernize its sewers even more. In 1971, the city came up with its third and most recent master plan for the sewers. It called for a series of massive boxes to be built around the city's waterfront, intercepting old outfalls like a moat. The boxes would be big enough to hold the water of normal rains, delivering it slowly enough to the treatment plants that they could treat it properly before releasing it. The captured water would be sent to modernized treatment facilities at Jerrold Street and at a new, super-modern Southwest plant by the zoo. Overflows in the east would not be dumped into the bay, but rather sent by a tremendous tunnel to the Southwest plant. That plant would spit its waste, which would always receive at least a primary treatment, out into the ocean 4.5 miles from land. This grand vision called for big money--initial cost estimates were $1.1 billion to $1.4 billion, the biggest public works project in city history.
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	The scale of the new system is worthy of ogling. The 12 miles of transport/storage tunnels, which reach sizes of 50 feet wide by 48 feet deep, dwarf the old downtown wooden tubes the way a freeway dwarfs a dirt road; the last known wooden sewer was replaced in 1985. The combination of all the boxes will eventually be able to hold 200 million gallons, enough to keep even a 5-year storm from overflowing the treatment plants. In other words, the system should only overflow every five years, if rainfall continues its 70-year trend. The Southwest Ocean Outfall is a cement pipe on the ocean floor, which carries waste from the southwest plant. It is as much as 80 feet under the ocean surface, constructed to withstand a 15-foot movement along the San Andreas Fault (which it crosses). It may someday carry all effluent from San Francisco's nearly 900 miles of sewer mains.		The scale of the new system is worthy of ogling. The 12 miles of transport/storage tunnels, which reach sizes of 50 feet wide by 48 feet deep, dwarf the old downtown wooden tubes the way a freeway dwarfs a dirt road; the last known wooden sewer was replaced in 1985. The combination of all the boxes will eventually be able to hold 200 million gallons, enough to keep even a 5-year storm from overflowing the treatment plants. In other words, the system should only overflow every five years, if rainfall continues its 70-year trend. The Southwest Ocean Outfall is a cement pipe on the ocean floor, which carries waste from the southwest plant. It is as much as 80 feet under the ocean surface, constructed to withstand a 15-foot movement along the San Andreas Fault (which it crosses). It may someday carry all effluent from San Francisco's nearly 900 miles of sewer mains.

	~~'''~~Crosstown Tunnel~~'''~~		<font size=4>Crosstown Tunnel</font size>

	The only big project left in the Clean Water Program is the Crosstown Transport tunnel. This tunnel, if built, will be a fifteen-foot diameter tube from Jerrold Street in the east to the Southwest plant. Much of it would be under Bernal Heights, Diamond Heights, and the other bedrock hills between the two plants. As currently designed, there would be only three entries to the tunnel: the two ends, and a gas-belch valve at the top of Bernal Heights. Residents of Bernal are fighting to stop the tunnel from being built, but Bayview residents are sick and tired of sewer effluent on their shoreline.		The only big project left in the Clean Water Program is the [[Life and Death Of The Crosstown Tunnel\|Crosstown Transport tunnel]]. This tunnel, if built, will be a fifteen-foot diameter tube from Jerrold Street in the east to the Southwest plant. Much of it would be under Bernal Heights, Diamond Heights, and the other bedrock hills between the two plants. As currently designed, there would be only three entries to the tunnel: the two ends, and a gas-belch valve at the top of Bernal Heights. Residents of Bernal are fighting to stop the tunnel from being built, but Bayview residents are sick and tired of sewer effluent on their shoreline.

	One place where all the citizen groups agree is that the highest priority should be smell-proofing the Jerrold plant and improving it, while continuing to study alternatives to ocean dumping altogether. Last year, the Board of Supervisors and Department of Public Works agreed to study "water export" as an alternative. This idea would match the Clean Water Program in cost and drama--initial cost estimates are $3 billion. It would take tertiary-treated effluent, or greywater (usable water, without heavy metals and chemical pollutants) and export it to Central Valley farmers. Problems with this method include cost, plus the possibility that Central Valley towns would use the project as a way to get their metal-laden, salinified water out of the valley and into the ocean or bay.		One place where all the citizen groups agree is that the highest priority should be smell-proofing the Jerrold plant and improving it, while continuing to study alternatives to ocean dumping altogether. Last year, the Board of Supervisors and Department of Public Works agreed to study "water export" as an alternative. This idea would match the Clean Water Program in cost and drama--initial cost estimates are $3 billion. It would take tertiary-treated effluent, or greywater (usable water, without heavy metals and chemical pollutants) and export it to Central Valley farmers. Problems with this method include cost, plus the possibility that Central Valley towns would use the project as a way to get their metal-laden, salinified water out of the valley and into the ocean or bay.

Ccarlsson: added photo and decade

2020-07-09T03:40:28Z

added photo and decade

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:40, 8 July 2020
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	As the city expanded out of old Buena Vista Cove, it expanded into the bay. When the great seawall was constructed, only a block or two back from today's Embarcadero, nobody bothered to poke holes for some of the sewer outfalls. Some stony streets developed sewage-filled sinkholes when the sewers dumped their loads inside the seawall, undermining the newly extended streets. In the same neighborhoods, by 1892, vegetable gardens were under sewage irrigation.		As the city expanded out of old Buena Vista Cove, it expanded into the bay. When the great seawall was constructed, only a block or two back from today's Embarcadero, nobody bothered to poke holes for some of the sewer outfalls. Some stony streets developed sewage-filled sinkholes when the sewers dumped their loads inside the seawall, undermining the newly extended streets. In the same neighborhoods, by 1892, vegetable gardens were under sewage irrigation.

	~~'''~~Updating the Sewers ~~'''~~		<font size=4>Updating the Sewers </font size>

	In 1893, the city hired engineers to develop a master plan for a new sewer system. As the city is wont to do, it took the plan and shelved it. In 1899, it had another plan put together. It, too, was shelved. Seven more years passed, and the city fell down into a shuddering heap of ashes. While the godawful sewer system survived the earthquake of 1906, all the sewer engineering records were lost. The only record we have of the old sewers is a set of notebooks from public works engineers who tried to survey the pipes after the quake, along with the summary reports of the various master planners.		In 1893, the city hired engineers to develop a master plan for a new sewer system. As the city is wont to do, it took the plan and shelved it. In 1899, it had another plan put together. It, too, was shelved. Seven more years passed, and the city fell down into a shuddering heap of ashes. While the godawful sewer system survived the earthquake of 1906, all the sewer engineering records were lost. The only record we have of the old sewers is a set of notebooks from public works engineers who tried to survey the pipes after the quake, along with the summary reports of the various master planners.
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	Eventually, street and yard runoff will no longer be toxic (if people stop dumping terrible chemicals into the drains) and it will be possible to re-use the water and composted waste from our sewage. Current political thinking does not include such visionary planning, however.		Eventually, street and yard runoff will no longer be toxic (if people stop dumping terrible chemicals into the drains) and it will be possible to re-use the water and composted waste from our sewage. Current political thinking does not include such visionary planning, however.

			[[Image:Westside-pump-station 20200628 173531.jpg]]

			'''Westside Pump Station next to SF Zoo, on site of old [[Fleishhacker Pool 1925-84\|Fleishhacker Pool]].'''

			''Photo: Chris Carlsson, 2020''

	<hr>		<hr>
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	[[category:Ecology]] [[category:water]] [[category:Bernal Heights]] [[category:Bayview/Hunter's Point]] [[category:1990s]] [[category:1860s]] [[category:sunset]] [[category:North Beach]][[category:1900s]] [[category:1910s]] [[category:1920s]] [[category:1930s]] [[category:1950s]]		[[category:Ecology]] [[category:water]] [[category:Bernal Heights]] [[category:Bayview/Hunter's Point]] [[category:1990s]] [[category:1860s]] [[category:sunset]] [[category:North Beach]][[category:1900s]] [[category:1910s]] [[category:1920s]] [[category:1930s]] [[category:1950s]]
	[[category:1970s]] [[category:Richmond District]] [[category:Waste]]		[[category:1970s]] [[category:Richmond District]] [[category:Waste]] [[category:2020s]]

Ccarlsson: added abstract

2019-03-28T19:57:51Z

added abstract

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:57, 28 March 2019
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	''Image: San Francisco Public Utilities Commission''		''Image: San Francisco Public Utilities Commission''

			{\| style="color: black; background-color: #F5DA81;"
			\| colspan="2" \|'''Since the gold rush era, the unique climate and geography of San Francisco has posed challenges for generations of civil engineers attempting to modernize its sewer systems. The huge differences between precipitation volume during the wet and dry seasons, combined with the difficulty of routing sewers up and down the hills have caused the need for three distinct systems throughout San Francisco history. These sewer projects were some of the most expensive public works in city history, and these projects’ different priorities give insight into the changing balance of power in the city over time. '''
			\|}

	In the beginning, San Francisco was a grassy country of hills and valleys, rills and wales. Small lakes dotted the landscape, and springs bubbled forth. In the spring rains, water hit the steep slopes and tumbled down, swelling boulder-filled creeks, spreading out on the eastern flats and dissolving into the dunes of the west. Much of the runoff was carried in arroyos, seasonal creeks that in summer and fall become almost dry, rocky flats, surrounded by reeds and grasses.		In the beginning, San Francisco was a grassy country of hills and valleys, rills and wales. Small lakes dotted the landscape, and springs bubbled forth. In the spring rains, water hit the steep slopes and tumbled down, swelling boulder-filled creeks, spreading out on the eastern flats and dissolving into the dunes of the west. Much of the runoff was carried in arroyos, seasonal creeks that in summer and fall become almost dry, rocky flats, surrounded by reeds and grasses.

Ccarlsson: added Rosey Jencks video

2018-03-16T00:02:09Z

added Rosey Jencks video

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:02, 15 March 2018
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	In the beginning, San Francisco was a grassy country of hills and valleys, rills and wales. Small lakes dotted the landscape, and springs bubbled forth. In the spring rains, water hit the steep slopes and tumbled down, swelling boulder-filled creeks, spreading out on the eastern flats and dissolving into the dunes of the west. Much of the runoff was carried in arroyos, seasonal creeks that in summer and fall become almost dry, rocky flats, surrounded by reeds and grasses.		In the beginning, San Francisco was a grassy country of hills and valleys, rills and wales. Small lakes dotted the landscape, and springs bubbled forth. In the spring rains, water hit the steep slopes and tumbled down, swelling boulder-filled creeks, spreading out on the eastern flats and dissolving into the dunes of the west. Much of the runoff was carried in arroyos, seasonal creeks that in summer and fall become almost dry, rocky flats, surrounded by reeds and grasses.

			<iframe src="https://archive.org/embed/RoseyJencksOnSewerage" width="640" height="480" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen="true" mozallowfullscreen="true" allowfullscreen></iframe>

			'''Rosey Jencks gives an overview of the history of San Francisco's sewers in this March 7, 2018 presentation at the Shaping San Francisco Public Talks series.'''

			''Video: Shaping San Francisco''

	Precita Creek was one such arroyo. It fell from "Sun Valley" (south of Noe Valley), was joined by springwater and runoff from Bernal Heights, and at high water cut a 30-foot wide path across the southern Mission District, along today's Cesar Chavez Street. Its waters dispersed on the way to Potrero Hill, and eventually ended up in Islais Creek's vast estuarine bog.		Precita Creek was one such arroyo. It fell from "Sun Valley" (south of Noe Valley), was joined by springwater and runoff from Bernal Heights, and at high water cut a 30-foot wide path across the southern Mission District, along today's Cesar Chavez Street. Its waters dispersed on the way to Potrero Hill, and eventually ended up in Islais Creek's vast estuarine bog.

Ccarlsson at 00:44, 4 August 2017

2017-08-04T00:44:36Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:44, 3 August 2017
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	''by Steven Bodzin, originally published as a leaflet accompanying the "Sewer Tour" sponsored by the SF Bike Coalition, Dec. 1995''		''by Steven Bodzin, originally published as a leaflet accompanying the "Sewer Tour" sponsored by the SF Bike Coalition, Dec. 1995''

	[[Image:~~ecology1$sewer-map~~.jpg]]		[[Image:OBSFMapC.jpg]]

	'''San Francisco's Combined Sewer Overflow Control Facilities, 1993'''		'''San Francisco's Combined Sewer Overflow Control Facilities, 1993'''

Lisaruth: changed category from Richmond to Richmond District

2014-08-28T06:39:36Z

changed category from Richmond to Richmond District

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:39, 27 August 2014
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	[[category:Ecology]] [[category:water]] [[category:Bernal Heights]] [[category:Bayview/Hunter's Point]] [[category:1990s]] [[category:1860s]] [[category:sunset]] [[category:North Beach]][[category:1900s]] [[category:1910s]] [[category:1920s]] [[category:1930s]] [[category:1950s]]		[[category:Ecology]] [[category:water]] [[category:Bernal Heights]] [[category:Bayview/Hunter's Point]] [[category:1990s]] [[category:1860s]] [[category:sunset]] [[category:North Beach]][[category:1900s]] [[category:1910s]] [[category:1920s]] [[category:1930s]] [[category:1950s]]
	[[category:1970s]] [[category:Richmond]] [[category:Waste]]		[[category:1970s]] [[category:Richmond District]] [[category:Waste]]

Ccarlsson at 06:46, 11 September 2010

2010-09-11T06:46:28Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:46, 10 September 2010
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	[[category:Ecology]] [[category:water]] [[category:Bernal Heights]] [[category:Bayview/Hunter's Point]] [[category:1990s]] [[category:1860s]] [[category:sunset]] [[category:North Beach]][[category:1900s]] [[category:1910s]] [[category:1920s]] [[category:1930s]] [[category:1950s]]		[[category:Ecology]] [[category:water]] [[category:Bernal Heights]] [[category:Bayview/Hunter's Point]] [[category:1990s]] [[category:1860s]] [[category:sunset]] [[category:North Beach]][[category:1900s]] [[category:1910s]] [[category:1920s]] [[category:1930s]] [[category:1950s]]
	[[category:1970s]] [[category:Richmond]]		[[category:1970s]] [[category:Richmond]] [[category:Waste]]

Texteradmin at 02:55, 21 August 2009

2009-08-21T02:55:09Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:55, 20 August 2009
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	<hr>		<hr>

	[[Image:Tours-water.gif]] [[WATER! WATER!\| Return to beginning of Water Tour]]		[[Image:Tours-water.gif\|link=WATER! WATER!]] [[WATER! WATER!\| Return to beginning of Water Tour]]

	[[San Francisco's Victory Gardens \| Prev. Document]] [[The Farm \| Next Document]]		[[San Francisco's Victory Gardens \| Prev. Document]] [[The Farm \| Next Document]]

Texteradmin at 15:54, 19 August 2009

2009-08-19T15:54:36Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:54, 19 August 2009
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	Eventually, street and yard runoff will no longer be toxic (if people stop dumping terrible chemicals into the drains) and it will be possible to re-use the water and composted waste from our sewage. Current political thinking does not include such visionary planning, however.		Eventually, street and yard runoff will no longer be toxic (if people stop dumping terrible chemicals into the drains) and it will be possible to re-use the water and composted waste from our sewage. Current political thinking does not include such visionary planning, however.

	[[Image:water~~-tour-button-new~~.~~jpg~~]] [[WATER! WATER!\| ~~-->~~ Return to beginning of Water Tour]]		<hr>

			[[Image:Tours-water.gif]] [[WATER! WATER!\| Return to beginning of Water Tour]]

	[[San Francisco's Victory Gardens \| Prev. Document]] [[The Farm \| Next Document]]		[[San Francisco's Victory Gardens \| Prev. Document]] [[The Farm \| Next Document]]

Ccarlsson: Protected "Sewerage": finished essay [edit=sysop:move=sysop]

2009-01-03T04:51:03Z

Protected "Sewerage": finished essay [edit=sysop:move=sysop]

← Older revision	Revision as of 21:51, 2 January 2009
(No difference)