Stormwater – Flows to Bay

San Mateo County and surrounding areas are seeing record amounts of rain, but as meteorologist Richard Heim explained in the LA Times, “A few months of really wet weather, well, it’s not going to make much of a dent in these deficits that have accumulated over the years.” So, don’t let this fool you – water conservation efforts are as vital as they’ve ever been, and the San Mateo County residents who participated in this year’s rain barrel program are doing their part to harvest and conserve rainwater!

Capturing rainwater reduces the runoff that otherwise funnels into streets and picks up pollutants from all surfaces, including roofs.

Expanding the Program

After 4 rain barrel distribution events, Flows To Bay sent a total of 825 rain barrels home to over 450 San Mateo County residents. Those 825 barrels will capture 41,250 gallons of water each time they are completely filled!

Thank you to the Public Works Departments of Daly City, Millbrae, Redwood City, and San Mateo for hosting this year’s distribution events. Their assistance, paired with immense resident excitement and support, enabled us to double the number of distribution events compared to last year’s pilot program.

We’re seeing a significant and proactive mindset spreading broadly among communities with an interest in conserving water, preparing for large storm events, and turning rainwater into a resource. This is very exciting to see!

REID BOGERT, C/CAG STORMWATER PROGRAM SPECIALIST

Soaking Up the Rain

San Mateo resident and proud rain barrel program participant, Kevin, shared his excitement on social media through a series of Instagram posts. In his series, Kevin shocked friends and family by revealing that his 50-gallon rain barrel filled up with rainwater in less than a day!

Kevin jumped at the chance to order his barrel this year after hearing about the program last year and missing out on ordering a barrel before the program sold out. Kevin describes himself as “eco-conscious as the average person who’s just trying to do the best he can.” Interestingly, making a big impact isn’t as challenging as one might think! After participating this year and already seeing an immense payoff, ordering additional barrels next year is a no-brainer for Kevin. Kevin’s biggest takeaway after receiving his barrel?

It’s much easier than I thought it would be. Water that runs off a roof can be easily reused with very modest alterations. I don’t know why more people aren’t doing it.

KEVIN SIMPSON, SAN MATEO RESIDENT

Here are some other helpful rain barrel tips we picked up from our chat with Kevin:

When considering how many barrels to get, order more than you think. You’ll be shocked at how quickly your rain barrels fill up!
Use paver stones to level the ground and provide a platform for your barrel(s).
Kevin’s not the handiest guy in the world (his words), so don’t let your handiness skills deter you because setting up the barrel is “incredibly easy.”

Thank you, Kevin, for taking the time to share your experience with your community! Check out Kevin’s rain barrel setup and post series on Instagram @kevin_simpson_stargazer.

Do you have a rain barrel? You can make a positive impact by helping show the importance of this simple action in San Mateo County!

Share a photo of you with your rain barrel setup, tag @Flowstobay in your caption on Instagram and Facebook, and be sure to include the hashtag #FlowsToBarrel.

Add yourself to our interactive map to join the San Mateo County Rain Barrel Movement!

Interested in learning more about rainwater harvesting and gardening tips? Check out our recent blog!

Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date on future rain barrel events and giveaways!

200 Million Gallons of Water

*Image from the* *Orange Memorial Park Educational Placard*

Rain falling east of the Santa Cruz Mountain range drains into the San Francisco Bay. Also called stormwater runoff, this rain may carry trash and other pollutants with it as it flows to the San Francisco Bay. One of the waterways that carries this runoff is Colma Creek, which drains over 6,500 acres of land in Colma, Daly City, Pacifica, South San Francisco, and San Bruno. A portion of the Colma Creek runs through Orange Memorial Park where the newly completed regional stormwater capture project will be able to capture, treat, and reuse 200 million gallons of water each year!

Schematic of water flow and cleaning processes in and around Orange Memorial Park courtesy of the City of South San Francisco.

What Are The Benefits of the Orange Memorial Park Project?

This project, the first-of-its-kind in Northern California, will divert and capture stormwater from the Colma Creek Watershed.

Some of the benefits of this project include:

Cleaning and saving water for non-potable use: Water from Colma Creek will be diverted and treated to remove trash, sediment, and pollutants such as mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). It will then be stored in a cistern underneath the park for further disinfection and used for irrigation and other non-potable water use. This will save over 15 million gallons of potable water each year, all while reducing local flood risk.
Recharging groundwater: Once the cistern is full, additional water will be infiltrated into the Westside Groundwater Basin, recharging 55 million gallons of groundwater each year. Groundwater recharge is an important water management practice in California because groundwater has been overused in recent decades, leading to dry wells, sinking land, and saltwater intrusion from the ocean.
Protecting the environment: When the underground water storage system is full, 130 million gallons of cleaned water will be returned to Colma Creek, improving the water quality in the creek and Bay. This will prevent pollutants such as mercury and PCBs—which are harmful to humans and wildlife—from polluting the San Francisco Bay.
Renovating the athletics field: In Phase 2 of this project, the Orange Memorial Park athletics field will be renovated, something the community has long been advocating for. This will enhance recreational opportunities for the local community, providing a space for baseball, softball, and soccer.

Now that the project is completed, what’s next?

Construction on this stormwater capture project began in early 2021 and was completed May 2022, with the official ribbon cutting happening on June 10, 2022. The project was led and constructed by the City of South San Francisco, with funding provided by Caltrans. Details on the project can be found here.

In 2023, Phase 2 of this project will begin. In line with the City’s Capital Improvement Program, the sports field above the water treatment facility will be rebuilt with improvements. More information on Phase 2 can be found here.

Orange Memorial Park Conceptual Design 2021
Please note: This will be updated as designs become more finalized