Drinking water in Foster City and other Peninsula cities may appear cloudy or milky-white in color when drawn from the tap during January and February 2010. This temporary change is caused by a change in the distribution of the system’s water and does not affect the quality of the drinking water.

The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) is operating the Sunol Valley Water Treatment Plant at high rates due to the Hetch Hetchy supply shutdown for maintenance.  This high production rate may be causing some customers to experience water with bubbles or a milky appearance.  The increased rate of flow from the SFPUC’s Sunol Valley Water Treatment Plant in the East Bay causes air to be mixed into the water, which in turn makes it look cloudy or milky.  If the water is allowed to stand for a few minutes, the cloudiness will dissipate as the air bubbles break apart and rise to the surface.  The water continues to meet all state and federal regulatory requirements for water quality.

The shut down may last until the end of February 2010.

For more information, contact Public Works Maintenance Superintendent Ignatius Nelson at 650-286-3551.