Rain Storm Expected Starting Saturday, January 16 throughout next week!

With rain, wind gusts and heavy storms forecasted to hit the Bay Area the weekend of January 16 through next week, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) and Department of Public Works (DPW) today is issuing a “Flood Risk Alert” to encourage residents and businesses in low-lying flood-prone areas to prepare for potential flooding. The City has also put critical departments and storm weather responders on standby in anticipation of the storm event.

City crews are deployed throughout the city inspecting and cleaning catch basins as a precautionary measure to prepare for and prevent flooding. Additional crews will be on standby through the week to reduce potential emergency response times.

The City urges San Francisco residents and businesses in flood-prone areas, and those who live or work in below-grade properties, to proactively position sandbags and call 3-1-1 to report any blocked or clogged storm drains or catch basins immediately. DPW is providing San Franciscans up to 10 free filled or unfilled sandbags at the DPW Operations Yard, 2323 Cesar Chavez Blvd. (enter at Kansas and Marin Streets), Monday-Sunday, 7:00 am to 4:00 pm. Residents must show proof of residency at the time of pickup.

In addition, after completing a number of major capital projects in flood-prone areas, the SFPUC in 2010 is scheduled to begin construction on flood improvement projects in the Mission and Sunnydale areas. The SFPUC is also conducting a series of public workshops to define sewer projects for their long-term capital program to address aging infrastructure, seismic reliability, and neighborhood flooding. These monthly workshops are scheduled to continue through Spring 2010. More information about the workshops and the sewer system can be found at www.sfsewers.org.

Citizens should call the City’s Customer Service Center 3-1-1 for more information about the free sandbag program or to report clogged storm drains/catch basins, flooding emergencies, and sewer backups. When safe, residents are also encouraged to push aside leaves or trash that may be obstructing the flow of stormwater into storm drains. Additional flooding tips and information can be found on www.sfdpw.org.