where is permeable pavement used today? >> it is a fairly new process. if you have been walking down the sidewalk, where we have trees in our sidewalk, and see those little square bricks that have replaced the cement, that is an example of permeable pavement. >> my dog loves that. >> right. it is an example of another environmental benefit of permeable pavement. it allows water to soak into the water table instead of running down into the ocean. as to the central valley, if they have issues, especially because agriculture is taking city drinking water in another direction, i think we all know agriculture still is not doing what it needs to do to conserve water. problems like that need to be handled in the regions where the problems are created. in agricultural areas, sometimes there is brackish water, we'll brackish water in a water table -- real brackish water in the water table, which could be used for water supply. that is not where san francisco is at. i do not understand why we would spend $200,000 on this one we could install permeable pavement wit

i do not understand why we would spend $200,000 on this one we could install permeable pavement with a handful of workers and give them some payment right now. vice president moran: next speaker. >> good afternoon, commissioners. my name is rick wong. i am from the santa clara valley water district, the project manager, representing the district on this project. i would like to give you a brief explanation why we have tried to pursue this project for ourselves. santa clara valley water district serves 1.8 million people in the county, and it relies on state water projects, and also had ceci water from your agency. -- hetch hetchy water from your agency. half of our water supply is coming from groundwater. while we are investing heavily in conservation and recycled water, and still project a water short file in 2013 -- shortfall in 2013. -- 2030. we think the salinization could be part of future water needs. we want to work with the other agencies. as they mentioned, we started since 2003. the district has committed resources along with four other agencies who are presenting their vie

there are so many more ways to improve efficiency to accomplish what wants to be accomplished -- permeable sidewalk, as mr. brooks mentioned, and many other ways to improve the water we do have. i just want to say that if we spend this money we are going to end up with something i think we are never going to build. i think we will find the alternatives create more jobs, more careers, rather than a short-term build a plant and walk from it. i would like to say we are not going to build thiso the extente resources and put them toward something we are going to do in terms of water efficiency, and realize these additional benefits -- that is what i would be in favor of instead of the study. >> additional public comment? >> good afternoon, commissioners. thanks for the opportunity to address you. i work for s.p.u.r. as sustainable project director. our advisory board had a discussion of desalinization and the bay area. we invited the puc, pacific institute, and others to talk to us and help us think about what we should do, putting it desalinization in proper context. first, i am not here to su

they were then sent to the lab, a check for strengthened permeability. everything past. so we moved into the production phase last month. some general utility shots. this is just about complete, which will be a big phase to get behind this with the utility relocation. these of various sites around the project. and just an update on the craft hours, about 55,000 hours total completed by the evidence brothers without accident or injury, and about 88% of that was bay area local craft labor. so far with the work packages, they are running about 71% of total local craft labor of the bay area's. that is my presentation. i would be happy to address any questions. >> the statistic of working 55,000 hours without an accident or injury is phenomenal. i am just wondering, with -- was this luck or were there specific strategies that use that for that these are to create an environment where you could have that kind of track record? >> there is some luck involved, obviously, but the evidence brothers teams retard at it. we work with them in some areas to remind them to keep their saf

to localize our water savings and water supply to our communities, doing things like installing permeable pavement, putting in bio soils