Water Resources Division Annual Report - Fiscal Year 2017-18 WaterResourcesAR-FY17_18 | Page 8

NON-POTABLE WATER PROGRAM
In 2012, San  Francisco established the Onsite Water Reuse for Commercial, Multi-Family and Mixed-Use
Development Ordinance. Commonly known as the Non-potable Water Ordinance, it added Article 12C to
the San Francisco Health Code, allowing for the collection, treatment and use of alternate water sources for
non-potable uses in buildings. Since 2012, the Non-potable Water Ordinance has been amended to allow
for district-scale projects, where two or more parcels can share alternate water sources. In 2015, Article 12C
became mandatory and now requires new development projects of 250,000 square feet or more of gross
floor area to install and operate an onsite non-potable water system.
In FY 2017-18, the SFPUC worked collaboratively with the San Francisco Department of Public Health -
Environmental Health to update the Non-potable Water Program to reflect a new risk-based water quality
framework for onsite non-potable water systems. This framework promotes fit-for-purpose use of water
and defines risk-based water quality criteria for specific source water and end use combinations.
The SFPUC received 15 water budget applications to install onsite non-potable water systems in FY 2017‑18. The
total potable water offset for these projects is approximately 9 million gallons per year. To date, the potable
water offset for the entire Non-potable Water Program is approximately 89 million gallons per year.
The SFPUC is also paving the way for advancing onsite water reuse nationally through its leadership in
the National Blue Ribbon Commission for Onsite Non-potable Water Systems. The National Blue Ribbon
Commission recently published A Guidebook for Developing and Implementing Regulations for Onsite
Non-potable Water Systems and the report Making the Utility Case for Onsite Non-potable Water Systems
to inspire and help utilities and municipalities incorporate onsite non-potable water systems. In California,
the SFPUC sponsored Senate Bill 966, which directs the State Water Resources Control Board to develop
health and safety standards for onsite non-potable water systems for consistent permitting approaches
for onsite reuse projects. This bill provides a clear path forward for permitting onsite reuse projects in
California. For more information about the Non-potable Water Program, visit sfwater.org/np.
Rendering of future Warriors Arena courtesy of: Golden State Warriors
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India Basin (image courtesy of Build Inc and Steelblue)