Water Program

Water quality is an integral part of maintaining a clean environment. Both routine and non-routine emissions to ground and surface waters may adversely impact regional water quality. Environmental Programs administers several programs to minimize routine discharges and mitigate the impact of non-routine discharges and spills to waters of the US.

Industrial Waste Water

The discharge of industrial waste water is regulated by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC). Each UCSF owned location is covered by an industrial waste water permit issued by SFPUC that established numerical discharge limits for all waste effluent. These limits are established to preserve water quality and protect the sewer system from damage. Local regulations establish limits for pollutants of concern including metals, organic compounds, toxins and pH.

All UCSF facilities are monitored annually at a minimum by SFPUC. All identified violations require a root cause investigation, mitigation measures implemented and a follow up report to SFPUC. Monitoring reports can be viewed here:

Most Recent Pollutant Analytical Results

UCSF Response

 

EH&S has collaborated with SFPUC to identify non-hazardous chemicals that are appropriate for drain disposal. The approved list can be found at "Disposal Modes for Non-Hazardous Lab WasteOnly those chemicals listed are approved for drain disposal.

If you witness illegal disposal of hazardous materials or hazardous waste in the sink, please notify Environmental Programs (415.476.1300) immediately.