Water Conservation (2012 Bond)

In 2009, the Public Utilities Commission ( PUC ) conducted an audit of the highest water using parks and prepared the “Water Conservation Plan” to assess problems and recommend solutions. Many neighborhood parks operate with antiquated irrigation systems, installed with the original park development, that result in millions of gallons of water loss due to uneven spray coverage and leaking pipes. Most of these water-wasting systems require manual operation, which is labor intensive and inefficient.

Conservation Measures

The 2012 Park Bond funds $5 million in conservation measures, which included:

• Installing new irrigation lines redesigning irrigation heads for uniform coverage
• Installing water conserving landscapes that will result in millions of gallons of water savings
• Replacing irrigation heads, valves, flow sensors, and “smart” controllers

Selection of sites for investment was performed in collaboration of PUC water conservation and RPD operations staff, and included the following sites:

• Alta Plaza Park Irrigation Improvements

• Moscone Playground Improvements

• Washington Square Water Conservation