SF Sewer System Master Plan Project | About the Master Plan

San Francisco’s combined sewer system has served the City for more than 100 years. The last comprehensive master plan started in the 1970s addressed ways to upgrade the system to meet stringent regulatory requirements. Since then, the system has operated well but aging infrastructure, funding constraints, and deferred maintenance highlight the need for another long-term master plan. In 2005, the SFPUC initiated a new master plan to:

Develop a long-term vision and strategy for the management of the City’s wastewater and stormwater
Provide a detailed roadmap for improvements needed over the next few decades and estimated funds to implement these improvements
Address specific challenges facing the system
Maximize system reliability and flexibility

Through extensive research and public input over the past two and a half years, the SFPUC has now developed a draft Master Plan that includes recommended projects. The San Francisco Planning Department recently began environmental review of the draft plan. Once environmental review is complete (expected to take about two years), the SFPUC will finalize the Master Plan and move forward with a Capital Improvement Program to implement recommended projects.

Find out more on the following pages:

What is the SF Sewer System Master Plan Project? Learn about the purpose of the Master Plan
Challenges: Find out about major problems facing our system
History: Some interesting facts about our very old system
Frequently Asked Questions: Check here regularly for answers to questions to your questions

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