Low-flow toilets cause a stink in SF

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San Francisco's big push for low-flow toilets has turned into a multimillion-dollar plumbing stink.

Skimping on toilet water has resulted in more sludge backing up inside the sewer pipes, said Tyrone Jue, spokesman for the city Public Utilities Commission. That has created a rotten-egg stench near AT&T Park and elsewhere, especially during the dry summer months.

The city has already spent $100 million over the past five years to upgrade its sewer system and sewage plants, in part to combat the odor problem.

Now officials are stocking up on a $14 million, three-year supply of highly concentrated sodium hypochlorite - better known as bleach - to act as an odor eater and to disinfect the city's treated water before it's dumped into the bay. It will also be used to sanitize drinking water.

That translates into 8.5 million pounds of bleach either being poured down city drains or into the drinking water supply every year.

Not everybody thinks it's a good idea.

A Don't Bleach Our Bay alert has just gone out from eco-blogger Adam Lowry who argues the city would be much better off using a disinfectant like hydrogen peroxide - or better yet, a solution that would naturally break down the bacteria.

As for whether the supposedly environmentally friendly, low-flow toilets are worth the trouble? Well, according to Jue, they have helped trim San Francisco's annual water consumption by about 20 million gallons.

Trading places: San Francisco Assistant District Attorney Paul Henderson has landed a temporary new criminal justice job inside the mayor's office - making $35,000 more than the last guy who held the post.

Henderson earned $195,000 a year as a senior deputy to former D.A. Kamala Harris and had hoped to be named her successor last month when she exited to become state attorney general.

The appointment instead went to Police Chief George Gascón. And despite assurances that he still had a job, Henderson let it be known that he hadn't ruled out challenging Gascón come November.

Until last week, anyway, when it was announced that Henderson would be "on loan" until the end of the year as Mayor Ed Lee's public safety czar.

It's essentially the same job that former U.S. Attorney Kevin Ryan had under ex-Mayor Gavin Newsom - except he made $160,679 a year.

Henderson will keep his $195,000 pay.

"The mayor values Paul's nearly 20 years of experience," mayoral spokesman Christine Falvey said.

At the same time, mayoral Deputy Chief of Staff Cristine DeBerry is moving over to the D.A.'s office to fill a newly created chief of staff position. DeBerry's pay is still being worked out, but we're told she'll receive a $35,000 to $40,000 bump over her current $144,000 a year.

D.A. spokeswoman Erica Derryck said the new position is part of a management restructuring intended to allow the office to handle more cases with "increased efficiency."

What's in a name: What's really behind adding Silicon Valley to the name of the already long-winded Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport?

Japan's All Nippon Airlines.

According to San Jose City Councilman Sam Liccardo, when Mayor Chuck Reed and a local business delegation met with airline execs in Tokyo recently to try to lure All Nippon service to the South Bay, they were told they should first consider adding Silicon Valley to the airport's name.

That would attract more business travelers, the execs said.

So, with Mineta's blessing, San Jose officials are weighing the idea - though they've put off a decision while they see how Norman Y. Mineta San Jose/Silicon Valley International Airport flies with the flying public.

Coming together: The next to last of five sections being assembled to form the tower for the Bay Bridge's new eastern span is scheduled to be hoisted into place today - all 500 tons of it.

When erected, it will push the tower from 374 feet to 480 feet and start to give the bridge the dramatic look that everyone has long anticipated.

"In April, we will top out the tower," said Bart Ney, a spokesman for the bridge project. When that happens, it will be 525 feet, on par with the towers on the west side of the bridge.

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