—unconnected!! No laterals yet, sewage still stored septically—is that a word?
This was information divulged by the retiring Executive Director Rob Miller at the Basin Management Committee meeting on Wednesday December 18.
Friday, December 20, 2019
Tuesday, December 17, 2019
Sewer Rate Increase Meeting In January 2020
Hi blog readers! If you are in the Los Osos Prohibition Zone, or otherwise hooked up to our sewer, you may be interested in attending a County-led meeting on the proposed rate increase. The date is January 16, Thursday, at Monarch Grove Elementary School, 348 Los Osos Valley Road, in the multi-purpose room.
Have a look here:
https://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Departments/Public-Works/Committees-Programs/Los-Osos-Water-Recycling-Facility.aspx
Have a look here:
https://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Departments/Public-Works/Committees-Programs/Los-Osos-Water-Recycling-Facility.aspx
Sunday, December 15, 2019
💩 Trump On The Topic Of Toilets 💩
Trump's potty talk highlights flushing fight
💩 To quote Trump, "people are flushing toilets 10 times, 15 times, as opposed to once." 💩
Really?
A personal observation perhaps? Does he get verbal presidential briefings on this topic (reading apparently not being a presidential activity). It's more than we want to speculate on further ..........
I found I could not ignore the above posting I found off of a
water news source that I follow daily:
Saturday, December 14, 2019
Los Osos Christmas Parade Poop Picked Up
Today, Saturday December 14, Los Osos held it's quirky, venerated, a little wild and crazy, Christmas Parade. Maybe you have to live here to understand the vibe. This is not your over-hyped, commercial-centric, big city Christmas Parade. It is hard to describe in words or pictures, it is a feeling. (One year there was a snail float, and that needs it's own post to explain what that was about.) Despite cold weather and the wind, the attendance was good and the mood was jolly from observers, at least from where I was standing. Newspaper publisher and photographer Dean Sullivan was there, so there will be a fun spread of excellent photos in the Estero Bay News.
However, he has better manners than I, so I don't think I will be scooping this photo away from him:
Yes, there were horses in the parade, and yes, they did what one expects nervous horses to do - doo-doo! So smartly, shortly after things fell from equine backsides, a courtesy custodian scraped up these articles! Very festive—the Santa hat and other red apparel and accoutrements!
I confess, I am rarely a pedestrian in front of Los Osos' largest shopping center, I always drive into there. So on my walk on that sidewalk post-parade, I spotted this:
Yes! Recycled water (under the manhole cover of course). This is one result from our awesome wastewater treatment facility (the brown stuff gets trucked elsewhere.) So most of this liquid product is pumped up to the leach fields up at at Broderson, but the County is contemplating its domestic use for us citizens. It would be good for the aquifers to not use drinking water to water our drought tolerant, but not water independent, landscapes.
This came up at a recent LOCSD meeting. General Manager Ron Munds presented word from the County that they were looking for a way to distribute this recycled water from a County purple-pipe fire hydrant manned by a theoretical citizen's group. The discussion had already concluded that neither the County, not the Los Osos CSD (and probably not the other two water companies either, Golden State and S&T Mutual), had the budget to pay workers to dispense water into gallon jugs or paint buckets, nor are there citizen groups to do this. (And how many of us have a pick-up/van/SUV with an on-board water tank?)
A suggestion was made to Ron (by me!) to convey to the County for the County to contract with companies that haul water anyway - because with a local water supply available for local customers, they might start a subscription business for delivery, as many citizens have saved their septic tanks to hold water that was to possibly be available at some future date. Their further discussion was not uplifting, but there is more interaction to be had in the future. Finger's crossed.
However, he has better manners than I, so I don't think I will be scooping this photo away from him:
I confess, I am rarely a pedestrian in front of Los Osos' largest shopping center, I always drive into there. So on my walk on that sidewalk post-parade, I spotted this:
This came up at a recent LOCSD meeting. General Manager Ron Munds presented word from the County that they were looking for a way to distribute this recycled water from a County purple-pipe fire hydrant manned by a theoretical citizen's group. The discussion had already concluded that neither the County, not the Los Osos CSD (and probably not the other two water companies either, Golden State and S&T Mutual), had the budget to pay workers to dispense water into gallon jugs or paint buckets, nor are there citizen groups to do this. (And how many of us have a pick-up/van/SUV with an on-board water tank?)
A suggestion was made to Ron (by me!) to convey to the County for the County to contract with companies that haul water anyway - because with a local water supply available for local customers, they might start a subscription business for delivery, as many citizens have saved their septic tanks to hold water that was to possibly be available at some future date. Their further discussion was not uplifting, but there is more interaction to be had in the future. Finger's crossed.
Happy Holidays from us..well, me...at the
Los Osos Sewer Saga blog!!
Monday, December 09, 2019
Sewer War Author Barbara Wolcott Dies
Condolences to the Wolcott family. Matriach Barbara Millen Wolcott died at the age of 87 on December 2, 2019. I saw a tiny death notice in the Friday, December 6 Tribune, and the obituary published in the paper December 8 can also be read off of this link:
https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/sanluisobispo/obituary.aspx?n=barbara-millen-wolcott&pid=194659445
She wrote the textbook for our tragic sewer story that was published in 2009, Small Town, Perfect Storm. And she wrote many, many other things as well, and was nominated twice for a Pulitzer.
I don't know if this is still available at our local Volumes of Pleasure Bookshoppe, but it can be found on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Small-Town-Perfect-Storm-Sewer/dp/1930401752/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=barbara+wolcott&qid=1575880437&s=books&sr=1-1
I can't count the number of copies of this book that I have bought and given away to try to explain to people what the emotional and financial explosion was all about over sewage in Los Osos. She told the story in a very readable and concise way (I was interviewed back when). I really wish I had interviewed her for this blog as her viewpoint would have again helped to distill the jumble of events that put poor Los Osos on the national sewage map. My copy of her book is much worn, it is highlighted and pages tabbed in a rainbow of hues. I could not have written here without her help on hundreds of occasions.
So dear Barbara, rest in peace. The war ended, you saw the last battle end with the completion of the wastewater treatment plant and its operation. I hope that gave you a mental final chapter on the story that you brought to life in your wonderful book. My gratitude is with you always for helping me so much.
https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/sanluisobispo/obituary.aspx?n=barbara-millen-wolcott&pid=194659445
She wrote the textbook for our tragic sewer story that was published in 2009, Small Town, Perfect Storm. And she wrote many, many other things as well, and was nominated twice for a Pulitzer.
I don't know if this is still available at our local Volumes of Pleasure Bookshoppe, but it can be found on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Small-Town-Perfect-Storm-Sewer/dp/1930401752/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=barbara+wolcott&qid=1575880437&s=books&sr=1-1
I can't count the number of copies of this book that I have bought and given away to try to explain to people what the emotional and financial explosion was all about over sewage in Los Osos. She told the story in a very readable and concise way (I was interviewed back when). I really wish I had interviewed her for this blog as her viewpoint would have again helped to distill the jumble of events that put poor Los Osos on the national sewage map. My copy of her book is much worn, it is highlighted and pages tabbed in a rainbow of hues. I could not have written here without her help on hundreds of occasions.
So dear Barbara, rest in peace. The war ended, you saw the last battle end with the completion of the wastewater treatment plant and its operation. I hope that gave you a mental final chapter on the story that you brought to life in your wonderful book. My gratitude is with you always for helping me so much.
Perhaps the book can still be ordered here, but I don't know.
Friday, November 22, 2019
Los Osos Sewer Rate 218 Vote Upcoming
John Diodati, Interim County Public Works Director,* made a surprise visit to LOCAC (Los Osos Community Advisory Council**) Thursday night, November 21. He said that the County revisits the unincorporated areas' wastewater system rates every five years, but that Los Osos' rates have not been evaluated for 10 years. There is going to be an upcoming workshop in January (not sure where), then the County will come back to the community in February to discuss everything, and then in March, the 218 process will start with a Board of Supervisors item for them to give the go-ahead, and the "vote" will end in 45 days with our vote results at the Board of Supervisors.
The rates were established back in 2010 and as there was no plant then, the rates were guestimates. We have actual costs now that the plant has been running for a few years. Apparently a "cost of living" percentage was never put on our rates, so we are spending more now as the rates issued 10 years have failed to keep up with expenses of paying off the loan and running the plant.The new rates will phase in over two years with a 5-6% increase plus a cost of living percentage of 3%. Our rates are not going to be worse than Cayucos, Morro Bay and Black Lake. The rate consists of the debt repayment and O&M (operating and maintenence costs).
I know I have been remiss of late in writing here, but I will post everything I find out on this important topic!
* During the "sewer days" he was the Grants Coordinator—the guy who helped get us the low interest USDA loan. He was the "spearhead" guy. Congresspeople (is that a word?) Lois Capps and Kevin McCarthy (a Democrat and a Republican working together - imagine that!) did the House side of the bill and Senator Dianne Feinstein worked the Senate side to get a variance for that money— our population was really too big to qualify for that USDA loan which normally is granted for a population of 10,000 (we are 14,276 as of the 2010 census).
** I'm on the Council.
The rates were established back in 2010 and as there was no plant then, the rates were guestimates. We have actual costs now that the plant has been running for a few years. Apparently a "cost of living" percentage was never put on our rates, so we are spending more now as the rates issued 10 years have failed to keep up with expenses of paying off the loan and running the plant.The new rates will phase in over two years with a 5-6% increase plus a cost of living percentage of 3%. Our rates are not going to be worse than Cayucos, Morro Bay and Black Lake. The rate consists of the debt repayment and O&M (operating and maintenence costs).
I know I have been remiss of late in writing here, but I will post everything I find out on this important topic!
* During the "sewer days" he was the Grants Coordinator—the guy who helped get us the low interest USDA loan. He was the "spearhead" guy. Congresspeople (is that a word?) Lois Capps and Kevin McCarthy (a Democrat and a Republican working together - imagine that!) did the House side of the bill and Senator Dianne Feinstein worked the Senate side to get a variance for that money— our population was really too big to qualify for that USDA loan which normally is granted for a population of 10,000 (we are 14,276 as of the 2010 census).
** I'm on the Council.
Sunday, September 29, 2019
FYI - 98.9% Connected!
Off the Basin Management Committee Agenda, September 19, 2019:
"Enforcement: As of 9/3/2019, the sewer service area has a 98.9% connection status leaving 57 properties not yet connected to the sewer system. A Notice of Violation letter was sent to properties not connected to the Los Osos sewer system earlier this year in March."
https://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Departments/Public-Works/Forms-Documents/Committees-Programs/Los-Osos-Basin-Management-Committee-(BMC)/Agendas/2019-Agendas/2019-09-18-LOBMC-Agenda-Packet.aspx
See page 16 of 39. We are almost there!!
"Enforcement: As of 9/3/2019, the sewer service area has a 98.9% connection status leaving 57 properties not yet connected to the sewer system. A Notice of Violation letter was sent to properties not connected to the Los Osos sewer system earlier this year in March."
https://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Departments/Public-Works/Forms-Documents/Committees-Programs/Los-Osos-Basin-Management-Committee-(BMC)/Agendas/2019-Agendas/2019-09-18-LOBMC-Agenda-Packet.aspx
See page 16 of 39. We are almost there!!
Tuesday, August 27, 2019
Valve Turning Ceremony - Today!!
Sea Pines today 10:00 A.M.-ish!! The street was even blocked off!!
Purple pipe in action for the very first time!! The Golf Course will be watered with RECYCLED WATER from our nifty sewer plant!!
The County's Kate Ballantyne was the Master of Ceremonies, dignitaries included: Bruce Gibson with Legislative Aid Blake Fixler; former LOWWP super big-wigs John Waddell and John Diodati; a representative from State Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham's office; BMC Executive Director, and LOCSD Engineer, Rob Miller; Lexie Bell - Morro Bay National Estuary Program; our new LOCSD GM Ron Munds who has held so many important positions I can't count them; Golden State Water's Rep Tony Lindstrom; and of course Rocky and Gary Setting, the owners of the Golf Course and Resort! There were many others whose names I did not know - from the County and...I'm not sure where exactly, but they looked like engineer/techno types. The press was there taking better photos than me of course.
I do have photos, but thought videos were the quickest look to see what went on. (You will later see a photo of really superb donuts with purple icing in honor of the event. I wish I had one right now.... )
Monday, August 26, 2019
Tuesday, April 30, 2019
Nuggets From the Los Osos Sewer Story In La Vista!
The article that I wrote for the History Center of San Luis Obispo County's journal, La Vista, is out!! Yes, it is on our infamous, tragic, and, sometimes inadvertently hilarious Los Osos sewer story. I was shocked that they accepted my proposal, and I hope that they do not have any regrets!
At a modest 7,554 words, the story covers only the tippy top highlights of course. This story deserves an Encyclopedia Britannica version. I was only supposed to give them 5,000 words but they did not make me cut anything much to my surprise and much more to my relief.
They had quite a sense of humor about this. The cover is an aerial view of Hearst Castle, the back cover is an aerial of the Los Osos sewer.
My article is at the end, Chapter 8. There are seven prior chapters that will likely interest you a whole lot more, so please don't be scared away by the sewage!
Naturally, anyone purchasing this will be supporting the work of our County's History Center, so I urge you to help them out as generously as you can. This journal, and the prior ones too, are very full with great stories about where we live!
My story would not have been possible without the History Center, and I have spend countless hours in the library basement with the super helpful researchers Alan and Bill, who dug up all sorts of interesting stuff for me. (I also wrote the Arcadia book for Los Osos/Baywood Park which has a small, very small, chapter on the sewer.)
You might want to visit the History Center to look around and buy a copy or two, or 27. Here is the address and the hours:
Or you can make your purchase off of this link:
At a modest 7,554 words, the story covers only the tippy top highlights of course. This story deserves an Encyclopedia Britannica version. I was only supposed to give them 5,000 words but they did not make me cut anything much to my surprise and much more to my relief.
They had quite a sense of humor about this. The cover is an aerial view of Hearst Castle, the back cover is an aerial of the Los Osos sewer.
My article is at the end, Chapter 8. There are seven prior chapters that will likely interest you a whole lot more, so please don't be scared away by the sewage!
Naturally, anyone purchasing this will be supporting the work of our County's History Center, so I urge you to help them out as generously as you can. This journal, and the prior ones too, are very full with great stories about where we live!
My story would not have been possible without the History Center, and I have spend countless hours in the library basement with the super helpful researchers Alan and Bill, who dug up all sorts of interesting stuff for me. (I also wrote the Arcadia book for Los Osos/Baywood Park which has a small, very small, chapter on the sewer.)
You might want to visit the History Center to look around and buy a copy or two, or 27. Here is the address and the hours:
History Center Museum
Carnegie Library Building
696 Monterey Street
San Luis Obispo
11:00 am to 5:00 pm
Closed Tuesdays
Or you can make your purchase off of this link:
For those of you bold enough to venture into the fraught bowels of Sewerville, I thank you, and I hope that you enjoy the read!
Monday, April 22, 2019
Poop Emoji Magnets!
Yes, you too can have a set of poop emoji magnets for your refrigerator just like I have!
Family was visiting from out of state (to honor their privacy as most do not want their name appearing online on a sewer blog, I will not name who). We went to a favorite gallery we often visit because they carry both great jewelry and art, plus hilarious stuff. I think I screamed quietly when I saw these magnets!
Anyway, if youneed WANT these as much as I did - here is the card from the gallery!
(Click image to see it larger.)
Family was visiting from out of state (to honor their privacy as most do not want their name appearing online on a sewer blog, I will not name who). We went to a favorite gallery we often visit because they carry both great jewelry and art, plus hilarious stuff. I think I screamed quietly when I saw these magnets!
Anyway, if you
Monday, April 15, 2019
Sunday, April 14, 2019
Awesome Poop Shirt!
Helloooo from LA dear readers! Saturday, April13, I had the great luck to be in LA to attend the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books! https://www.latimes.com/books/la-et-jc-fob-festival-of-books-schedule-map-info-20190411-story.html Took an Uber to the Metro Rail at Bergamot Station, and got off right at USC. Was wandering in the huge venue for hours.
I did not find any sewer books - not that there weren't any at a venue this huge, but one has only so much time to look. But what I did find was a handsome young man in a sewer T-shirt, who was kind enough to let me photograph his incredible shirt! (I was kind enough to not ask his name as maybe he would not want to be featured on a sewer blog.) Thank you anonymous young person for letting me capture your amazing shirt!
I did not find any sewer books - not that there weren't any at a venue this huge, but one has only so much time to look. But what I did find was a handsome young man in a sewer T-shirt, who was kind enough to let me photograph his incredible shirt! (I was kind enough to not ask his name as maybe he would not want to be featured on a sewer blog.) Thank you anonymous young person for letting me capture your amazing shirt!
USC is a pretty old campus. It was founded in 1880. But at that time there were no streets, so I don't think this sewer manhole cover was from that era. But it looks quite old.
If you get the chance to do the book festival Sunday, April 14, lucky you - if not, it is super, super fun, so I hope you can go next year!
Wednesday, April 10, 2019
Monday, April 08, 2019
Student Teams Tackling Water Issues Using EPA Grant Funding
Something for Cal Poly students to think about next year:
https://www.tpomag.com/online_exclusives/2019/04/student-teams-tackling-water-issues-using-epa-grant-funding?utm_source=campaigner&utm_campaign=TPO190408&utm_content=newsletter&cmp=1&utm_medium=email
https://www.tpomag.com/online_exclusives/2019/04/student-teams-tackling-water-issues-using-epa-grant-funding?utm_source=campaigner&utm_campaign=TPO190408&utm_content=newsletter&cmp=1&utm_medium=email
Saturday, April 06, 2019
C-Span Book Tour!
Check out some Los Osos Sewer history on
C-SPAN! Saturday, April 6, 2:00 p.m. West Coast time - Spectrum channels 91 and 882.
Thursday, April 04, 2019
The Los Osos Sewer On C-SPAN!
Yours truly will be on C-SPAN April 6! I will be
speaking on the last chapter of my book -
Los Osos/Baywood Park (Arcadia Publishing),the SEWER Chapter!
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Saturday, March 30, 2019
Wastewater In Action!
OK, I know this is silly, but I was just researching a company that deals in wastewater and found this mesmerizing video loop on their webpage. I know I need help, I can't stop watching it. Sewage hypnotherapy???? 😜
https://frm-ops.com/industry-service-wastewater
https://frm-ops.com/industry-service-wastewater
Wednesday, March 13, 2019
Where Is It Going? (Your Recycled Washes & Flushes!)
I got a notice for the next Basin Management Committee meeting today (next Wednesday, March 20). In it was the latest scoop as to where our recycled was going. Here is a quote:
"Contracts are in place with the two primary water purveyors which allow the delivery of recycled water to schools within their service areas subject to the billing rate rates established by each purveyor. An agreement was executed with S&T Mutual Water Company to allow the County to directly deliver water to Sea Pines golf course which is inside their service area. Sea Pines will be connected to the system by the end of March 2019. Los Osos Middle School will be the first school to be connected to the recycled water system with anticipated connect date of August 2019. Additional schools will be connected to the system as resources are available, with the goal of connecting one school per year." (Look for exhibit A toward the bottom in this lengthy tome.)At long last.......
Friday, February 01, 2019
Final Evacuation—Bayridge Estates Septic Tanks!
Here is the latest info on the Bayridge septic tanks, that have been awaiting their emptying for quite some time. Our wonderful Jose Acosta, our Utilities Systems Manager, has saved the District's bacon (once again)—although I hesitate to put my treasured culinary word "bacon" in a paragraph about.......politely speaking, "waste product."
Have a look about the process and the price on getting these tanks emptied:
https://www.losososcsd.org/files/68b62c540/Agenda+Item+12D+Discussion+Regarding+Bayridge+Estates+Septic+Tanks+Decommissioning+Process.pdf
This will be discussed at the next LOCSD meeting, Thursday, February 7 in the Open Session part of the meeting which begins at 7:00 p.m. in the District Office, 2122 9th Street Suite 106. Hope to see you all there!! (All two of you locals that read this thing that is.....)
Pardon my long absence, I have been away and otherwise occupied! Some of you have seen me riding a camel on my Facebook page (which was not Photoshopped). But more on that later.
Have a look about the process and the price on getting these tanks emptied:
https://www.losososcsd.org/files/68b62c540/Agenda+Item+12D+Discussion+Regarding+Bayridge+Estates+Septic+Tanks+Decommissioning+Process.pdf
This will be discussed at the next LOCSD meeting, Thursday, February 7 in the Open Session part of the meeting which begins at 7:00 p.m. in the District Office, 2122 9th Street Suite 106. Hope to see you all there!! (All two of you locals that read this thing that is.....)
Pardon my long absence, I have been away and otherwise occupied! Some of you have seen me riding a camel on my Facebook page (which was not Photoshopped). But more on that later.
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