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San Francisco Water Manager Faces Suspension After Seen Urinating In Reservoir

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- A $111,000-a-year San Francisco water manager will likely be suspended after he was seen urinating in a reservoir that supplies drinking water to nearly 2.5 million Bay Area residents.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports Public Utilities Commission employee Martin Sanchez could receive a five day suspension without pay after the Jan. 6 incident took place at the Priest Reservoir in the Sierra foothills.

A commission insider sent the SF Chronicle an anonymous complaint that alleges a number of employees saw Sanchez urinating "several times" in the reservoir.

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Utilities commission spokesman Tyrone Jue said the reservoir had been drained for maintenance at the time and poses no health danger. Still, Jue said his action were "not acceptable."

"The bottom line is — you pee in the wrong place again, and you are toast," Jue told the SF Chronicle.

The Priest Reservoir is one of the four Hetch Hetchy holding reservoirs. Untreated water from the Sierra is treated with ultraviolet light and chlorine before it's sent by pipeline to Bay Area customers.

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