Sunset Reservoir, body of water

Sunset Reservoir is a single subterranean concrete basin at 24th Avenue and Ortega Street in the Sunset District, measuring 1,000 by 500 feet (300 by 150 m) across 11 acres (4.5 ha). It holds 720 floor-to-ceiling columns, reaches a maximum depth of 33 ft (10 m), and stores 270 acre-feet (330,000 m3) of water, fed through 42-inch (1.1 m) inlet and outlet pipes.

The reservoir was completed in 1960 and has been part of the city's water system ever since, serving multiple neighborhoods. In recent years it was upgraded with earthquake-resistant improvements including reinforced walls and seismic joints.

The reservoir sits in the Sunset District where it shapes the local landscape and residents pass by regularly. The location shows how the city brings water and energy management together in a way that people can see and understand.

The site is best visited during daylight hours as it is a working part of the water system with no regular tours available. You can view it from outside or nearby to get a sense of how the city manages its infrastructure.

The Sunset Reservoir Solar Project installed 25,000 panels on the reservoir's 480,000-square-foot roof, a 5-megawatt plant that more than tripled San Francisco's 2-megawatt solar capacity. It opened in December 2010 at a ceremony introduced by then Mayor Gavin Newsom.