Foster City purchases the water we use from the City of San Francisco. San Francisco is the sole owner of the Hetch Hetchy reservoirs and the water system that brings Hetch Hetchy water to San Francisco and the Bay Area Cities that purchase this water from the City of San Francisco. You have read in our local newspapers, and heard in our City Council meetings that we have concerns about the condition of the overall Hetch Hetchy water system. I believe that recent state legislation will make possible needed repairs. However, even with a perfect Hetch Hetchy water system, Foster City must assure that we are able to receive and store sufficient water to meet our residents needs.
Foster City receives Hetch Hetchy water through a single 24? water transmission main that runs from Crystal Springs to Foster City. The water is stored and then distributed from three 4 million-gallon storage tanks in the Foster City Corporate Yard. While this is adequate for all normal operations, it would not be adequate if there was an interruption to the single 24? water main, or if there was any interruption in the Hetch Hetchy water system.
For over 10 years, Foster City has been working to develop additional protection of our water supply in an emergency. The 1994/95 Capital Investment Program included construction of a new 8 million-gallon water storage tank at property adjacent to the Corporate Yard on East Third Avenue. In 1997 the City purchased the property at 3420 E Third Ave and design work is underway for the new 8 million-gallon water storage tank. The cost for the new tank is budgeted at $7,000,000. ? an awful lot of money.
The $7,000,000 comes from the City?s Water Enterprise Fund, not from City?s General Fund or Redevelopment Agency Fund. The $7,0000,000 is available and earmarked for the new water storage tank. The revenue source for this money is our water user charges. Before we proceed with the actual construction of the new water storage tank, the City?s Public Works Department will provide the City Council with current information on water use and plans for controlling the distribution of this new water supply in the event of an emergency.
When new plans are completed for managing Foster City?s water supply, including use of the additional 8 million gallon water tank, the plan will be made available to all residents. I urge every resident to have at least seven gallons of water available for each family member. The water should be stored in a safe place in the event of an emergency. This amount of water should last from 7 to 10 days with careful use in a major emergency.
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