Every name starts somewhere. For instance, have you wondered why the Harry Tracy Water Treatment Plant bears the name Harry Tracy, or how other San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) facilities ended up with the titles we use today? Behind each site lies a story. Exploring these names offers a unique lens into the people, places, and events that have shaped the SFPUC’s water and power systems. Let’s take a closer look at where some of these names come from.  

Tesla Treatment Facility
One might ask, is the Tesla Treatment Facility in any way related to Tesla in Fremont? Let’s set the record straight: the two are not related. The facility is named after the historic Tesla Coal Mine, which operated nearby about 150 years ago. The entrepreneur who established the mine planned to supply coal and generate electricity for San Francisco, and he named the site in honor of the scientist Nikola Tesla. Although the mine eventually closed, the name remained, and the surrounding area is still known as Tesla.

O’Shaughnessy Dam
When San Francisco leaders set out to find a reliable supply of water after the 1906 Earthquake and fire, they needed a steady hand at the helm. That task fell to Michael M. O'Shaughnessy, the City's chief engineer. Under his direction, a monumental dam rose in the remote Sierra Nevada Mountains. By the time it was completed in 1923, the builders felt the structure deserved more than just a functional label. They insisted it carry O’Shaughnessy’s name, declaring that his vision and persistence had made the project possible. Today, every drop flowing from O’Shaughnessy Dam still carries the legacy of the engineer whose name it bears.  

Hetch Hetchy Reservoir 
Long before it became San Francisco’s water supply, Hetch Hetchy Valley was often called the “little Yosemite” for its towering granite cliffs, waterfalls, and meadows. The name itself comes from the Miwok people who inhabited central California. The Miwok word “Hetchetci” describes the edible grasses and seeds that grew there and were harvested by generations of indigenous communities that lived in the valley, long before surveyors and engineers ever set foot on its floor.

When O’Shaughnessy Dam was constructed and the valley was dammed in the early 20th century, the reservoir behind it kept its ancestral name “Hetch Hetchy.” 

Harry Tracy Treatment Plant 
The origin story behind the 1972 facility is that it was initially named the San Andreas Water Treatment Plant. In 1994, it was renamed in honor of exemplary longtime Water Quality Manager Harry W. Tracy, who worked at the SFPUC from 1937 until his death in 1985. Harry Tracy was a civil engineer and superintendent for the Spring Valley Water Company, who helped develop San Francisco’s early water system. The plant honors his contributions to the region’s water infrastructure and was later incorporated into the SFPUC network.

Now, here’s another version of events – whether it’s a complete myth or an urban legend, we’ll let you decide. Back in the early 1900s, there lived a devious fugitive named Harry Tracy. Though he was not just the kind of crook who robbed banks — he robbed the headlines, too, galloping from Oregon into California with the law huffing behind him.  

According to the myth, the Harry Tracy Water Treatment Plant was named after this notorious outlaw who just loved San Francisco’s water so much. So, outlaw or water quality manager? We know the real story but will also point out, as the famous Shakespeare once said, a water facility (or rose) by any other name still smells as sweet.