Purple Pipe Hydrant

Well, it is back in our midst. The bacteria laden, butt ugly, and foul smelling water that we have sent underground and out of town for its spa treatment - beautification and toxin removal - has returned not just to Broderson, but right here in our midst - on Tenth Street!

Who owns it? Ostensibly the water companies. Who paid for it? We did. What paperwork, legalities and hoop jumping must there be to open the spigot - to maybe send this water back home and underground into our sparkly clean, repurposed septic tanks? It is the next part of the sewer journey for this H2O. 

Let's hope the story unfolds quickly, as this rainy season won't last, spring is coming, summer - if we are lucky, might be a foggy drip, but by fall, our repurposed tanks might be empty. Our plants would be happy to get this stuff. Then the aquifer's water could be used for indoor water needs only, thereby saving it from some amount of overuse.

Our titled (22!), regal water languishes inside of its purple prison! Mary Queen of Scots all over again, with a better ending, I hope.

Another Toilet To Tap Brewski!

I first encountered beer outside of a TV screen, at a late age; I was a protected child. When I did see it in real life, I noticed that what went in, came out the same color. Amazing! But now, for the second time that I have found, that toilet water is cycling through human plumbing systems for another round. Actually, it could go on for more rounds than that, depending on the location of the receiving facilities, post imbibement: in this case, San Diego!

Escondido, California's Stone Brewing Company is the newest craft brewing company to use recycled water. It is coming from San Diego's Pure Water Facility. Granted, they made only five barrels of beer, but they hope to make it available to the public in the future. A toast to another successful "toilet to tap" operation!

Couldn't we upgrade our most-famous-sewer-in-the-world just one more step and make beer too? We already have well known branding for it! We could call the product SRF Suds, or Stout from the Magic Sand Brewing Company, or even Lo$ O$o$ Lager if we wanted to create a top shelf product! Well, think about it anyway.

Board of Supes Agenda 3-21-17 Sewer Item!

At last! Something sewer for us Los Osians on the next BOS agenda!

AGENDA March 21, 2017

County Government Center

Board of Supervisors Chambers

1055 Monterey Street | San Luis Obispo, CA 93408 

Tuesday, March 21, 2017 

0. Consent Agenda - Parks & Recreation Items:
   
   
1. 15. Request to authorize a budget adjustment in the amount of $35,000 from Parks Reserves to Fund Center (FC) 30504 Parks Projects to complete the mandated Los Osos Community Park Sewer Connection, by 4/5 vote. District 2. 
   

Here are the relevant attachments!

http://agenda.slocounty.ca.gov/agenda/sanluisobispo/Proposal.html?select=7151

I hope this looks like the no-brainer that it is and that it will be approved 5-0.

Sewer Service Charges Explained!

I have been a dork for not following up on this - I'm sure it was posted ages ago on the County's website and it must have gone before the Board of Supes, too. Perhaps I was in Iceland, where I neglected a lot of things sewer as they were happening.

(Click images for larger sizes.)

Well, have a look. The sewer service charges are explained on the link below - even the separate billing anomaly that caused such a stir last month at LOCAC! Actually, we are still waiting to hook up, so that is another reason I have not written about this. We have no operating and maintenance charge yet on our bill.

http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Assets/PW/LOWWP/document+library/Proposed+Service+Charges+Ordinance.pdf

In case you were wondering about Iceland, they have sewage problems too! I tried to find the time to see a sewage plant, and I was in Akureyri too (see article), but alas, while on a tour, your time is booked from 8:00 a.m. until dinner.

http://icelandreview.com/news/2012/12/21/problems-sewage-across-iceland

I was in downtown Reykjavík and missed this. Darn!

http://grapevine.is/news/2016/03/31/open-sewage-pit-in-downtown-reykjavik/

You would never know this was happening though. The place is Disneyland clean everywhere, and they have water by the ton, which helps.

This looks sewage plant-like, but it is just pipes harvesting steam for power.

This looks sewage-like, but it was actually clean, slightly minerally-tasting, carbonated water. Yes, bubble water coming out of the ground!!

Dr. John Alexander Alexander Dies

The Tribune had a small death notice in the March 7, 2017 paper: 

John Alexander Alexander, 99 of Cayucos died March 2, 2017.

Dr. Alexander was famous during the Los Osos Sewer Wars for stating that we did not need a sewer.

 "...if anyone could help me it would be Dr. Alexander. His research and development firm had developed waste water treatment plants throughout the world, including Australia, Israel and South America, just to name a few. Dr. Alexander advised me that he would be willing to help us in any way he could. However, he said before he would advise us that Los Osos really did not need a sewer. He proceeded to explain in great detail why Los Osos did not need a sewer plant. The crux of his explanation was that Los Osos had a God-given filtration plant built right into its soil."

http://www.rockofthecoast.com/2009/11/24/cdo-threat-exacts-heavy-human-toll-on-los-osos/

Yes, he was the original magic sand guy!

His business is described below, retrieved 3-8-17:

"Ecm Technical Environmental Services, Inc. filed as an Articles of Incorporation in the State of California and is no longer active. This corporate entity was filed approximately twenty-seven years ago on Tuesday, July 17, 1990 , according to public records filed with California Secretary of State."

https://www.corporationwiki.com/California/Cudahy/ecm-technical-environmental-services-inc/42002702.aspx

Learn more here:
http://www.abalonefarm.com/the-abalone-farm-and-artisan-restaurant-featured-in-the-novdec16-issue-of-california-bountiful/

http://www.californiabountiful.com/features/article.aspx?arID=1856

—and see some photos here:
http://www.oldmorrobay.com/john_alexander.html

He applied to the County sewer project's Technical Advisory Committee in 2007, but was not selected. His credentials are still online:
http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Assets/PW/LOWWP/TAC/alexander.pdf

RIP sewer warrior. I was on the opposite side of his stance of course, but found him to be a compelling figure.