October is not only for pumpkin-spiced lattes, cozy sweaters, and spooky Halloween costumes. It’s also National Energy Awareness Month!

It’s October, which means giant pumpkins are being grown at the Southeast Treatment Plant’s Demonstration Garden. No, these overgrown gourds aren’t haunted, they’re demonstrating the power of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) biosolids to turbo-charge plant growth. Bigger, faster-growing plants pull more carbon from the atmosphere, aiding the fight against climate change.

In October of 2023, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Fifield-Cahill Ridge Trail, a 10-mile-long trail in the Peninsula Watershed that has served over 18,000 guests since its opening in 2003. The Fifield-Cahill Ridge Trail (FCRT) has played a crucial role in introducing Bay Area nature lovers to the beautiful ecosystems and carefully operated reservoirs in the Peninsula Watershed. The FCRT program provides recreational access to an area of the Peninsula Watershed that was closed to the public prior to the trail’s opening.

SFPUC boosts its commercial washer rebate amount from $500 to $5,000 to support laundromats.

September 15 to October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month, a time to celebrate the many contributions and accomplishments of the Hispanic and Latino/a/e/x community. Vera Dueñas-Argueta works in the Customer Service Bureau at the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC). Working with Customer Service, she helps customers get set up with their utilities services and provides them assistance in helping them potentially lower their bills. She talked about the importance of celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month and how younger Latino/a/e/x students can begin a career in the utilities industry.