The twelfth annual Indicators for a Sustainable San Mateo County evaluates 33 indicators,or trends, to provide a snapshot of how we are doing as a community and show our progress toward a sustainable future. Among the 33 indicators is a key indicator, Water—Supply and Demand, which we believe will have an increasingly important role in the county’s long-term sustainability.

Water: Supply and Demand
In FY 2005-06, total water use in San Mateo County was 8 percent less than FY 2000-01, primarily because of a wet spring and a resultant decline in irrigation demands. Demand for water is expected to grow by nearly 25 percent by FY 2030-01, however.

Over 90 percent of the county’s water supply comes from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission’s regional water system, which in turn gets most of its water (85 percent) from the Hetch Hetchy reservoir in the Sierra Nevada. Without new local sources of water, the county will continue to be dependent on water from Hetch Hetchy in the future.

Data source: Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency

 


Air Quality
In 2007, the county continued to have clean air, although short-term particle pollution is a concern.

Carbon Dioxide Emissions
In 2006, both total annual carbon dioxide emissions and per capita emissions were below 2000 levels.

Children: Health
In 2006-07, the percentage of fifth, seventh, and ninth graders in the county meeting all CA physical fitness test standards was higher than in any other school year this decade. In 2005, 99 percent of all children in San Mateo County were covered by some form of health insurance.

Contaminated Sites
At the end of 2007, the number of contaminated sites in San Mateo County was 39 percent lower than in 1998.

Crime
In 2006, rates of violent and juvenile crime were lower than in 2005; gang-related homicides were at their lowest level since 2002.

Economy: Jobs
In 2006, the number of jobs in the county increased by 2 percent from the previous year; the job base remained diversified across industries and company sizes.

Green Buildings
San Mateo County and the city of Brisbane have green building ordinances, and other local governments promote or encourage green building practices.

Public Library Use
n FY 2005-06, adjusting for inflation, library expenditures per capita had increased 16 percent since FY 1996-97.

Solid Waste
In 2006, total solid waste generated and disposed of in landfills was lower than any year in the past decade.

Transportation: Gasoline Use and Fuel Efficiency
In 2006, total gasoline consumption was lower than in any year in the past decade.

Water: Bay and Ocean Water Quality
Although the Bay will remain a highly polluted water body for a number of years, the long-term outlook is generally positive. In 2007, there were no beach closures from sewage spills, down from five in 2006.

Water: Drinking Water Quality
In 2006, the county’s drinking water continued to meet state and federal water quality standards.

 


Agriculture
n 2006, adjusting for inflation, the total production value of agricultural products was down 41 percent from 1997.

Children: Child Abuse
In 2006, the rate of child abuse referrals per 1,000 children was higher than any year since 1998.

Children: Child Care
In 2007, the total number of licensed child care spaces was down 22 percent from 2004.

Ecological Footprint
The average county resident’s use of natural resources exceeds nature’s ability to replenish them.

Economy: Income Distribution and Poverty
In 2006, over 7 percent of residents lived in households with an income below the federal poverty level; over one-third of households had earnings below the county’s self-sufficiency level.

Health Care: Community Health
In 2004, only 7 percent of residents practiced a combination of healthy behaviors (do not smoke, not overweight, exercise, eat a healthy diet) that limit the risk of cancer and heart disease.

Housing: Affordability
In 2007, despite housing costs declining or leveling in other parts of the country, housing costs in the county increased from 2006.

Transportation: Vehicle Travel and Public Transit
In 2006, average vehicle hours of delay increased by 1 percent; driving alone is the commute of choice for nearly three quarters of the workers in the county.

 


Disaster Preparedness
All of the county’s local governments have adopted coordinated plans to respond to natural or human-caused disasters; it is unclear, however, how prepared citizens or businesses are for emergencies.

Economy: Unemployment
In 2007, the county’s unemployment rate was up slightly from 2006, but was still far below the unemployment rates in 2002 through 2004.

Education
In 2007, a greater percentage of schools in the county met their Academic Performance Index growth targets than statewide; it is unclear, however, whether all children have an equal opportunity to excel in school.

Energy Use
In 2006, energy use from natural gas and electricity increased by 3 percent, the county’s electricity is less carbon intensive than the state overall, however, and the installed capacity of solar power continues to grow.

Habitat Protection
The county is home to over 40 state or federally listed threatened or endangered species. This has been unchanged for a number of years.

Health Care: Insurance and Cost
In 2005, the percentage of residents lacking health insurance declined from 2003. In 2007, health care costs grew 7 percent from 2006.

Housing: Homelessness
Based on findings from the 2007 Homeless Census and Survey, there were an estimated 6,646 individuals who were homeless at some point during the year.

Land Use
In 2005, urban land accounted for 37 percent of all land in the county; residential land accounted for over half of all urban land.

Parks and Open Space
There are over 110,000 acres of parkland and open space; it is unclear if all residents have equal access to parks.

Pesticide Use
In 2006, the use of the most toxic pesticides was 6 percent lower than 2005, but still well above total usage during the years 2000 through 2004.

Population
From 1998 to 2007, the county’s population grew nearly 6 percent.

Voter Participation
In the 2006 midterm elections, voter turnout was higher in San Mateo County than statewide; less than half of all eligible voters voted, however.

 

Sustainability Updates from Local Governments

Local governments play an integral role in building a sustainable future. SSMC asked San Mateo County, the cities within the county, and the San Mateo Community College District to describe their actions and policies related to three important indicators of sustainability: carbon emissions, disaster preparedness, and water.

Carbon Emissions
In 2007, Menlo Park, San Bruno, and the City of San Mateo calculated community-wide carbon inventories to identify opportunities to reduce carbon emissions and set emissions reduction goals. Other cities planned to calculate their community-wide carbon inventories in 2008.

To reduce carbon emissions in their communities, local governments have:

  • Promoted smart land use, including transit-oriented and mixed-use development that is bicycle and pedestrian friendly. One example is the proposed Ravenswood Business District in East Palo Alto.
  • Encouraged the use of green building strategies through public outreach and education. In 2007, Brisbane passed a green building ordinance regulating the construction of new private and public buildings.
  • Supported solar energy through rebate programs (Millbrae) or a community purchase program (San Carlos).

To reduce carbon emissions from their own operations, local governments have:

  • Purchased low-emission hybrid, biodiesel, compressed natural gas, or electric vehicles for city use.
  • Installed cogeneration systems (e.g. Burlingame, Millbrae, and the Community College District) and solar photovoltaics (e.g. Pacifica’s Calera Creek Water Recycling Plant).
  • Made city facilities more energy efficient by conducting energy audits, upgrading to more energy-efficient lighting and other equipment, and employing peak demand reduction programs.

Disaster Preparedness
A major earthquake is the disaster of greatest concern to cities and the county. Others include wildfires, hazardous waste incidents, and pandemics. Winter storms that cause mudslides and flooding seem to currently be the most common emergency in the county. For a number of communities, isolation after a disaster is of great concern.

Local governments provide disaster preparedness training programs for their staff and the public, including:

  • Staff training on roles and responsibilities as delineated in each city’s emergency operations plan.
  • Staff participation in the annual Statewide Medical & Health Disaster Exercise, the annual state-sponsored Golden Guardian regional disaster response exercise, and trainings on specific disasters.
  • Community Emergency Response Team trainings that teach individuals skills such as fire safety, light search and rescue, and first aid.
  • Short “R-U Ready” disaster preparedness classes that teach individuals how to prepare their families, homes, and workplaces for emergencies.

Water
To more efficiently manage water resources, local governments have:

  • Created incentive programs for residents to install low-flow toilets and water-efficient washing machines.
  • Distributed free water conservation devices, such as shower heads and faucet aerators.
  • Implemented school education programs, such as the water-wise program for fifth graders in Hillsborough, Menlo Park, and San Bruno.
  • Developed large landscape water audit and education programs to encourage the use of drought resistant plants.
  • Implemented commercial programs such as clothes washer programs, water audits, and spray valve installation programs aimed at restaurants (e.g. Burlingame, Menlo Park, and Pacifica).
  • Installed low-flow toilets and other water-saving devices in government facilities (e.g. Burlingame, Colma, South San Francisco, and the Community College District).
  • Installed artificial turf grass, drought resistant plants, and computer-managed irrigation systems; all these initiatives reduce outdoor water use at government facilities and parks.

In 2007, Redwood City launched a new Recycled Water Project that provided 30 million gallons of water for outdoor and other nonpotable uses.