Water and wastewater services are key lifelines for our city, and SPUR has long supported reinvestment, planning and programs to improve their resilience and sustainability. The San Francisco Public Utilties Commission's proposed four-year rate structure would finance three critical priorities for San Francisco and the Bay Area: the completion of the Water System Improvement Program, the beginning stages of the Sewer System Improvement Program, and maintenance and repair costs for current operations.
The SPUR Water Policy Board notes that other cities and utilities in California and across the country have been deferring capital upgrades at their peril, as construction costs continue to escalate and deferred maintenance takes longer and longer to catch up from. We commend the SFPUC for being more proactive. SPUR supports the proposed rate structure, which would begin in July 2014.