independent

Landmark water deal signed
North county cities join efforts to protect Lake Merced levels

By Michael Flaherty
Independent Newspapers
December 24, 2002

SAN BRUNO -- Accused of being accessories to Lake Merced's "slow death," two north Peninsula water providers recently struck a deal with environmentalists, agreeing to assist with scientific efforts to save the lake from further demise.
San Bruno and the California Water Services Company have agreed to pump less from the aquifer that they share with Lake Merced and buy more from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission -- the agency that pipes Sierra Mountain water throughout the Bay Area. In exchange for less pumping, the SFPUC will offer its water at a discounted rate.
San Bruno officials signed their contract with the SFPUC on Dec. 11. Robert Guzzetta, vice president of California Water Services -- the company that provides water to South San Francisco, Colma and unincorporated areas of San Mateo County -- confirmed that the agreement was on his desk and "was awaiting my signature."
The water deals are a response to a petition filed with the State Water Resources Board in January 2001 by the environmental group, California Trout Inc. The petition cited a 50 percent decline in the lake's water level in the last 15 years and named San Bruno, Daly City and South City among the many culprits. All three municipalities draw city water from the Westside Basin Aquifer, an underground water table that runs from San Francisco's Golden Gate Park down to edge of Foster City. Daly City forged a similar agreement with the lake's keepers last year.
"We're obviously thrilled with everyone who has cooperated. I feel like we're getting close to a solution," said Mondy Lariz, CalTrout's Lake Merced Program Manager.
Located in San Francisco just north of Daly City, Lake Merced is a recreational lake, popular with joggers and strollers. The lake supports a number of animal and plant habitats, and is an important flyway for migrating birds.
Under terms of the two-year deal, San Bruno and the California Water Services Company will reduce city well pumping during wet seasons. Inactive pumps will allow scientists to gather better evidence in the ongoing effort to determine the effect cities have on the Westside Basin Aquifer.
Less pumping will also increase cities' dependence on water from the SFPUC, which receives its supply from the Hetch Hetchy system. Located in the Sierras north of Yosemite Valley, the Hetch Hetchy reservoir and its network of pipes serves water to 2.4 million Bay Area residents daily. During pump reductions or stoppages SFPUC rates will drop to a level comparable to what cities would pay if they were pumping their own water.
"The idea is, why would we do this if we had to buy more Hetch Hetchy water at Hetch Hetchy prices. Instead the SFPUC will charge us about what the city would pay to pump," said San Bruno City Attorney Pamela Thompson.
The water agreement is a breakthrough for Lake Merced's supporters and their efforts to bring San Bruno on board. San Bruno's proximity to the Westside Basin Aquifer allows the city to produce 40 percent of its own water. South City, by comparison, produces 10 percent of its own supply, a figure consistent with most of the cities throughout the county.
Led by Councilmember Chris Pallas, San Bruno has long prided itself on its relative independence from the Hetch Hetchy system. Not only does the water balance make San Bruno safer in case of a water emergency, but it also cushions the city from anticipated water rates as San Francisco plans a billion dollar Hetch Hetchy upgrade.
The Dec. 11 agreement signed by San Bruno ends its historic reluctance to join efforts to save Lake Merced.
"All we've agreed to is some fact finding. To do that, you have to reduce the pumping," said Thompson.
The Westside Basin Aquifer serves as Lake Merced's vital source. Along with Peninsula cities, CalTrout has accused golf courses and cemeteries of draining the aquifer.
"The lake has been dying a slow death for a long time," said CalTrout's Lariz.
According to the petition, Lake Merced was once known as an ideal urban fishery; and only two urban counties in the state at the time did not have recycled water program -- San Francisco and San Mateo counties. In response to these concerns, Woodland-based Luhdorff Scalmanini Consulting Engineers conducted a preliminary study in a report commissioned by the SFPUC -- the agency ultimately responsible for Lake Merced.
The Luhdorff Scalmanini report stated that the flow of the aquifer shifted south over the years -- towards the Peninsula -- though the findings did not directly link pumping rates to the lake's drop in water levels.
Having been named in the petition, San Bruno and the California Water Services Company had two possible courses of action. The legal route would be to sue CalTrout to take their names off the petition. The second route was the recently signed agreement.
"I think it's a fabulous development," said Jerry Cadagan, one of Lake Merced's chief supporters. Cadagan was one of the handful who gathered at a restaurant in 1993 with friends and neighbors to figure out a way to help save the lake. Convincing cities to go along with their efforts took nearly a decade. "I take it as a good sign that they decided to participate in the program. What they're saying is 'Yeah, we'll go along with you guys.'"

Michael Flaherty can be reached at 652-6730 or via e-mail at [email protected]