Emergency Firefighting Water Supply System
The Emergency Firefighting Water Supply System officially called the Auxiliary Water Supply System (AWSS), is an independent high-pressure water supply system dedicated to fire protection. It was built in 1913 in response to the 1906 Great Earthquake. It consists of a 135-mile pipeline network, a high elevation reservoir and two large capacity tanks, two pumping stations, fireboats, underground water tanks (cisterns), and Bay water intakes (suction connections). The AWSS has unique capabilities, including the ability to deliver water at much higher pressures and the ability to use unlimited water from the Bay. The system and its core facilities are currently used throughout the year by the San Francisco Fire Department to fight multiple alarm fires.
The elements of the AWSS that provide pressurized water to the system, called core facilities, are extremely run down. Inspections and assessments of the AWSS core facilities show deterioration, seismic deficiencies, and corrosion due to rust, poor foundations, leakages, and outdated technologies. The Earthquake Safety and Emergency Response Bond Program (ESER) will improve and seismically upgrade the Auxiliary Water Supply System (AWSS) Core Facilities, Cisterns, and Pipes and Tunnels. The first Bond in the program, ESER 1, provides $104.2 million to improve two pump stations, two storage tanks, the primary reservoir, as well as associated cisterns, and a portion of the pipe network and tunnels.
The 104.2 million in ESER 1 improvements are budgeted as follows:
- AWSS Core Facilities - $35.0 M
- Cisterns – $36.6 M
- Pipe Network and Tunnels – $32.6 M
Note: These budget numbers are not a baseline budget. Further delineation – made possible from the first bond sale’s funds - is required to determine baselines budgets that are appropriate for monitoring the financial status of each of these critical programs.
For descriptive information about this component of the bond, see the Earthquake Safety and Emergency Response Bond Report (PDF).