A $5 million federal grant will help fund badly needed upgrades to San Francisco’s stormwater drainage system.
The money from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was announced Friday by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission.
The upgrades will center around five acres of paved surfaces in the Outer Mission neighborhood, a residential neighborhood on the city’s southern border, east of Lake Merced and San Francisco Golf Club.
The project will involve installing rain gardens, planted greenery, and underground filtration systems in five locations, according to a statement from the Public Utilities Commission.
Rain gardens are lowered areas of natural landscaping that are designed to capture water runoff and allow it to soak into the ground, according to the EPA.
The natural features and filtration system are designed to capture about 2.7 million gallons of water a year, according to the Public Utilities Commission.
Project to begin construction in 2028
“These improvements will make a real difference in the Outer Mission by helping to manage stormwater, particularly during heavy rain,” said Dennis Herrera, general manager of the Public Utilities Commission.
With funding secured, the design phase for the project will move forward this year, with construction expected to begin in 2028.
The planned greenery will include planted curb extensions that could shorten pedestrian crossings in some places, rain garden plazas, and expanded public green spaces.
The underground filtration system will be designed to capture and filter stormwater before it enters the sewer system.