Oakland time capsule symbolizes successes, challenges of century-old water system
A time capsule buried near the base of the Bay Bridge on Monday to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the East Bay Municipal Water District could be underwater at its own centennial, swamped by the ravaging effects of climate change. Containing historic items — including a fossil recently found in one of the district’s watersheds, Monday’s edition of the East Bay Times and a letter from the board of directors — the five-foot-long iron pipe-shaped capsule is meant to embody the rich history of the water district, commonly known as EBMUD. The chosen location, a maintenance facility in West Oakland that previously served as the utility’s headquarters, is symbolic of the challenges EBMUD faces in the coming century. Just 13 feet above sea level, climate models predict this part of Oakland could be underwater in another 100 years.