County OKs emergency County OKs emergency (September 22, 2004)plan for drinking water

By Marion Softky
Almanac Staff Writer

Worried about how you'll get water if an earthquake or catastrophe cuts off San Francisco's main water lines from the Sierra?

Residents of San Mateo County can rest a tad easier now that San Mateo County has an emergency plan to provide them with drinking water for up to 60 days while San Francisco repairs the system that delivers water to 2.4 million people in four Bay Area counties.

The Board of Supervisors on September 14 approved a plan to procure and distribute potable water in case a disaster cuts off the main water supply from Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite National Park.

"This is a huge step forward for emergency preparedness," said board President Mark Church, who along with Supervisor Rich Gordon has pushed the plan.

The emergency drinking-water plan is the first for any county in the Bay Area, they said.

When and where clean water doesn't come out of pipes, residents will be able to go to local distribution points to get bottled or bulk water that will be purchased and trucked in by local water agencies, explained Brian Molver of the Sheriff's Office of Emergency Services.

The county's plan, which was developed in conjunction with its 20 cities, will provide emergency water to unincorporated areas. Each of the cities will be responsible for providing water within its own territory.

Sixteen of San Mateo County's 20 cities already have appointed water coordinators and have a draft emergency plan in place, Mr. Molver said. These include Menlo Park, Atherton, Woodside, Portola Valley, and Redwood City.

Nevertheless, people need to have enough water -- and other supplies -- to hold out for a couple of days after a disaster, Mr. Molver warned.

"The earthquake could come at 3 a.m. on a three-day weekend," he said. "It could take a few days to get the program going -- longer if a bridge is out.

"You need to be prepared. Two gallons of water per person per day would be awesome."

For information on distribution sites during an emergency, Mr. Molver suggested watching local television, or tuning in to KCBS at 740-AM.

The need for the emergency water plan is heightened by the likelihood of a big earthquake and the deteriorating condition of San Francisco's Hetch Hetchy water system. Some of its pipes and facilities date back 100 or more years.

"It is not a question of if, but when, an earthquake will strike the Bay Area," Supervisor Gordon said. "And, unfortunately, in this day and age, the threat of terrorism adds another layer of potential disruption to the cities."

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