Truck Hauling on Helen Drive, March 10 to 14

Crews from the nearby Crystal Springs/San Andreas Transmission System Upgrade project are seismically reinforcing a tunnel at San Andreas Lake.

From March 10th through 14th , trucks will be using the Helen Gate entrance of the Harry Tracy Water Treatment Plant to deliver a lightweight type of concrete called “cell-crete.”

We expect approximately 10 round trips a day along Helen Drive in Millbrae during the project work hours, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Flaggers will be present for safety and trucks will be scheduled to avoid the Meadows Elemetary School drop-off and pick-up times.

A wheel washing station is set up at the plant’s exit to clean truck tires before they return to Millbrae streets.

Please call us 24-hours a day with any questions or concerns about this work at (866) 973-1476.

San Bruno Traffic Advisory for March 3rd and 4th

On Monday morning, March 3rd, a large crane will be delivered to the Harry Tracy Water Treatment Plant in San Bruno before 7 a.m. in order to avoid the morning rush hour. The crane will be escorted and piloted up Crystal Springs Road from Cunningham Drive.

On both Monday and Tuesday, March 3 and 4, large machinery will be delivered to the plant between 9:15 a.m. and noon. We expect traffic delays on Crystal Springs Road between Cunningham and Crestmoor Drive during these periods.

Traffic control specialists will direct traffic through one open lane on Crystal Springs Road for most of the morning. The entire road will close for approximately 10 minutes for the equipment to turn the corner into the plant entrance.

Please call us at (866) 973-1476, 24-hours a day, with any questions or concerns. 

Harry Tracy Construction Update

Saturday Work
This Saturday, February 22nd, our neighbors along Crystal Springs Road may hear more noise than usual, as work continues on a small building close to the main road. A noise monitor will be present to ensure compliance with local limits. Saturday work hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. No work is scheduled for Sunday. 

Helen Drive in Millbrae
From March 10th through 14th, crews for the Crystal Springs/San Andreas Transmission System upgrade project will seismically reinforce a tunnel at San Andreas Lake.

Limited truck hauling is planned on Helen Drive to deliver materials via the Helen Gate entrance. Approximately 10 round trips per day are expected during the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Flaggers will be present to ensure safety.

Night Work
This month marks our sixth full plant shutdown since the project began in March 2011.

The plant is typically online in order to draw raw water from the Crystal Springs Reservoir System and treat water for our wholesale customers. Plant operations are occasionally “shut down” for designated short periods to allow for intensive construction.

Evening shifts and night work are not currently planned, but could be scheduled any time between now and April 1st. The project work hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday to Friday, and Saturdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

You may notice increased daytime work during this period. If a night shift is scheduled, the project team will make every effort to keep activities limited to indoor work. Please subscribe (see right) to this site for automatic schedule updates.

Please call us 24 hours a day at (866) 973-1476 with any questions or concerns.

Photo above: new 11 million gallon Treated Water Reservoir as of February 2014.

Happy Holidays from the Hetch Hetchy Water System

Warmest wishes of the season from our family to yours!

11 million gallon Treated Water Reservoir, December 2012

Harry Tracy Water Treatment Plant work crews will observe holidays on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Only light construction will be performed the week of December 23^rd.

11 million gallon Treated Water Reservoir, December 2013

The Crane’s Eye View

By mid-December, the Harry Tracy Water Treatment project will conclude two months of intensive work on new pipeline segments and upgrades to the treatment plant.  During this period regular operations have been suspended.  The project is over 65% complete, thanks in part to the swing shift started earlier this year to complete the new treated water reservoir. When the Plant comes back online later this month, the swing shift is expected to conclude. Extended hours and swing shifts may again be required in the future to stay on schedule or due to the demands of the work.

Photos by Robin Scheswohl, SFPUC

Work will continue throughout the Plant from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. including most Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Steel-reinforced concrete columns are currently being constructed inside the new 11 million gallon treated water reservoir (photo above). The yellow metal forms are reused after each column has hardened. The columns will soon support a reinforced concrete roof. Waterproofing and water quality testing will follow before placing the new reservoir into service. 

Meanwhile construction of the reservoir walls is almost finished. The inner wall is more than 75% formed, and the outer wall is now complete except for a temporary opening for equipment and materials.

These new below-grade filters will increase our reliability 

to process raw water into drinking water.

What to Expect

• Building materials are delivered via Crystal Springs Road in San Bruno. Flaggers control truck traffic at the Plant gate and pilot cars escort trucks along the road for safety.
• Truck off-hauls occasionally begin at 7:00 a.m.
• Noise levels are monitored to maintain compliance with local ordinances.

The contractor is working to minimize disruption to our neighbors. Please don’t hesitate to call our 24-hour phone line at (866) 973-1476, or email peninsula@sfwater.org with questions or suggestions.

Warm Winter Wishes

Happy Holidays!

As we look back over 2013 we’d like to say “Thank You” to our neighbors for your cooperation in our work to upgrade the aging Hetch Hetchy Water System. We send you wishes for warmth, happiness and delicious clean water this holiday season and beyond.

Hetch Hetchy Reservoir

All our best,

The Water System Improvement Program, Peninsula region

Helen Drive Work Update

Work will be concluding on schedule in mid-December for the seismic upgrade of the water pipeline located underground behind Meadows School in Millbrae. The project included excavation, welding and concrete placement for “sliplining”, placing a new steel pipe inside the existing pipe. The contractor is now preparing the pipeline to be put into service.



Sliplining old 60" pipe with new 48" pipe, using a crane and casters



Work hours: 7:00am - 7:00pm   Expected completion date: Dec. 15^th, 2013

The Contractor has successfully completed leak testing the pipeline with the new 48” slipline. The grouting between the new liner and the existing pipe was completed the week of Thanksgiving.  

Neighbors may notice the discharge of large volumes of water down storm drains on Helen Drive. Unfortunately the water can’t be delivered to the public nor reused for other testing after it leaves the pipe, due to water quality regulations. This “dewatering” will be monitored so flooding will not occur.  In addition, construction traffic will continue on Helen Dr.  Pilot cars will escort trucks for safety and flaggers will be stationed on Helen Dr. as needed.

We appreciate your cooperation and support as we work to improve your regional drinking water system.  We invite you to call our 24-hour phone line at (866) 973-1476 or email us at peninsula@sfwater.org with questions or concerns.

Project Description

Our contractor, Kiewit Infrastructure West Co., is working in multiple areas within the Harry Tracy Plant, part of the Hetch Hetchy Water System Improvement Program. Seismic retrofits and electrical upgrades will allow us to reliably provide up to 140 million gallons of water per day, for 60 days, within 24 hours of a major earthquake.