Chinook salmon in the Tuolumne.

MEDIA CENTER - Press

Commission scraps plans for a fourth Tuolumne pipeline
Source: San Jose Mercury News
Associated Press
October 12, 2005

SAN FRANCISCO - The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission will likely scrap plans for fourth pipeline that would carry water from Yosemite National Park to consumers in the San Francisco Bay area, a spokesman for the commission said.

The five-member commission had planned to add another pipeline, but talked Tuesday about instead refurbish the existing ones. Susan Leal, the commission's general manager said the three pipelines can be improved for about $337 million instead of the $986 million it would cost to add a new one.

"We expect the commission will adopt the general manager's alternative plan in late November," said Tony Winnicker, the commission's spokesman. The group has to give a 30-day notice to the public before taking any action.

The new plan still meets the same goals and costs hundreds of millions of dollars less, he said.

The 47-mile pipeline would have run alongside the others across Stanislaus County, moving water from Hetch Hetchy Reservoir to the Bay Area.

Environmental activists were concerned that San Francisco would be tempted to divert more water from the Tuolumne River if the fourth line was built.