FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 25, 2026
SFPUC Contact:
communications@sfwater.org
EPA Awards SFPUC $5 Million for San Francisco Stormwater Projects
Outer Mission improvements will capture and reduce storm runoff and help protect San Francisco Bay
SAN FRANCISCO — SAN FRANCISCO -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded $5 million to the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) to build stormwater improvements in the Outer Mission that will help capture runoff before it enters the City’s combined sewer system. The project will reduce pressure on the system and help protect San Francisco Bay.
It will also add rain gardens and other planted stormwater features along with an underground infiltration system across five Outer Mission locations. The improvements are projected to capture approximately 2.7 million gallons of stormwater each year. By keeping stormwater out of the sewer system, the project is expected to reduce the volume of combined sewer discharges to San Francisco Bay that can occur during heavy storms.
“These improvements will make a real difference in the Outer Mission by helping to manage stormwater, particularly during heavy rain,” said SFPUC General Manager Dennis Herrera. “We’re very pleased to be able to invest in this community and add to the work we’re already doing to protect the Bay.”
The project will help manage runoff from about five acres of paved surfaces within the Islais Creek watershed, one of San Francisco’s largest drainage basins. It will include planted curb extensions, rain garden plazas, and an underground infiltration designed to capture stormwater before it enters the sewer system. The improvements will also create greener public spaces, and in some locations, shorten pedestrian crossings. Design is expected to begin in 2026, with construction planned to start in March 2028.
The project was developed through a partnership between the SFPUC and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. The agencies are working together to combine stormwater improvements with street upgrades in the Outer Mission.
Since 2010, the SFPUC has been building green infrastructure to help manage stormwater and support the health of San Francisco Bay. San Francisco has a long term goal of capturing 1 billion gallons of stormwater each year by 2050 and is on track to meet that target. More than 575 green infrastructure projects have been built or reviewed to date, developed in partnership with private developers, local agencies, nonprofits, businesses, and community groups.
That work includes green infrastructure built as part of private development, projects built on public land, and grants that help others add green infrastructure. Under the 2010 Stormwater Management Ordinance, diverting stormwater is a required component of most private development. The SFPUC and City partners are also building green infrastructure on public land, with 14 projects to date, including the Outer Mission project. The SFPUC funds several grant programs that help large properties, community groups, and residential properties build green infrastructure. Through its Green Infrastructure Grant Program for large properties, the agency has awarded nearly $33 million to 33 projects since 2019, which are expected to capture more than 19 million gallons of stormwater each year once completed.
About the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) is a department of the City and County of San Francisco. It delivers drinking water to 2.7 million people in the San Francisco Bay Area, collects and treats wastewater for the City and County of San Francisco, and meets 75% of the electricity demand in San Francisco with clean energy. The SFPUC’s mission is to provide customers with high-quality, efficient and reliable water, power, and sewer services in a manner that values environmental and community interests, and sustains the resources entrusted to the agency's care. Learn more at sfpuc.gov.