Construction at the Southeast Treatment Plant

Built in 1952, the Southeast Treatment Plant is the City’s largest wastewater treatment facility, handling nearly 80% of San Francisco's combined stormwater and wastewater every year. However, many of its facilities are past their useful life and generate odors that impact the neighborhood.

The SFPUC is currently investing over $3 billion in critical upgrades to transform this facility into a modern resource recovery center. By doing so, we will continue to protect our communities and environment while creating an attractive workplace and neighborhood asset that serves the entire City for decades to come.

As we continue to make progress with our infrastructure investments, we are proud to be providing jobs and contracting opportunities to local residents and businesses. When complete, the plant will work better, look better, and smell better for the neighborhood, our staff, and the entire City!

CONSTRUCTION UPDATES (Summer 2025)

Demolition of Old Headworks Building Begins

As part of the final scope of the New Headworks Facility Project, crews have begun on the demolition of the last portion of the old Headworks building on the northwest side of the Southeast Treatment Plant. This 50 million gallons per day wastewater facility was deemed redundant with the successful completion and activation of the new 250 million gallon Headworks Facility that completed construction earlier this year. Demolition of this decommissioned facility is expected to be completed by late Fall 2025.

Learn more about the New Headworks Project, including impacts expected during demolition at sfpuc.gov/headworks.

New Digester Painting to Begin in July

Part of the aesthetic upgrades to five new digesters at the Southeast Treatment Plant will begin to be visible this month as crews on the Biosolids Digester Facilities Project start painting the exterior of each digester in a colorful new pattern! The color scheme - a selection of muted blues and greens - is meant to evoke the wastewater cleaning process. Crews have already started to prime the 60-feet digesters and work to paint each one will begin in late July and early August. The newly painted digesters will be particularly visible to commuters passing the west side of the treatment plant on Caltrain and drivers on the I-280 overpass.

Learn more about the Biosolids Digesters Facilities Project online at sfpuc.gov/digesters. 

Construction to Begin in Summer 2025 on New Operations, Engineering, and Maintenance Buildings at the Corner of Phelps Street and Jerrold Avenue

In Summer 2025, construction will start on two new buildings that will provide much-needed shop space for maintenance and trade crews as well as workspaces and facilities for operation, engineering, and maintenance staff. The buildings will also be the SFPUC and City of San Francisco's first Mass Timber buildings. Construction is expected to last roughly two years. These critical upgrades are part of where your ratepayer dollars go to ensure our system continues to protect public health and the environment. Learn more at sfpuc.gov/rates.

While the contractor is required to abide by the City's noise and vibration ordinances, neighbors should expect some noise and limited dust during this work. The project team will work to minimize disruption to normal neighborhood activity.

Changes to the Biosolids' Biogas Project

Biogas is a byproduct of the biosolids digestion treatment process. Our original plans for the Biosolids Digester Facilities Project included reusing 100% of the biogas, however we recently made changes to how the biogas will be utilized. The new plan will convert the biogas to renewable natural gas for injection into PG&E's existing gas pipeline.