Washington Square Water Conservation Project

Completed in December 2019!

Background

In 2012 the Recreation and Park Department partnered with the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to develop a Parks Water Conservation Plan for twelve parks with the greatest potential for water savings. Of the twelve parks surveyed, Washington Square was the highest user of water on an annual per-acre basis. Other parks in the program include: 

• Balboa Park
• Buena Vista Park
• Golden Gate Park (GGP) Big Recreation
• GGP Panhandle
• James Rolph Park
• Junipero Serra Playground
• Larsen Ball Fields
• Marina Green
• Parkside Square
• St. Mary’s Park
• Stern Grove

Washington Square contains 1.5 acres of irrigated lawn and garden, and prior irrigation water use was approximately 3,300,000 gallons per year. 

The project replaced the antiquated 65-year-old irrigation system, and now conserves more than two million gallons of potable water annually - reducing annual water use by two-thirds. 

In addition to the PUC Large Landscape Grant, the department has secured funding to fully replace the park’s sub-drain infrastructure to address frequently saturated lawn and other site drainage issues.

Scope of Work

• Reduce existing water use by two-thirds; from 3 million gallons per year to 1 million gallons per year
• Install weather sensing irrigation system
• Plant new drought tolerant landscaping
• Install new sub-drain infrastructure to reduce saturated soil conditions on site
• Pathway repaving and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) improvements

Funding

• SFPUC Large Landscape Grant Program: $625,700
• City’s General Fund secured by Supervisor Aaron Peskin: $1,400,000
• Rec and Park 2012 Park Bond Water Conservation Program: $1,025,700
• Total Fund Sources: $3,051,400