San Francisco's Sewer Video!

I posted this San Francisco sewer video in 2015, but just found tonight that the link had expired! 

"The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, the City agency that brought national attention to your sewers using slogans like “No one deals with more crap than I do” and “Your #2 is my #1,” is now debuting a rap song!"

It is well worth another watch, and have no idea why there are so few likes. I am here to promote it, I loved it (of course) so, have a look:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYJ7aTkEh4A

Too Good Not To Share!

 Have a look - Tetrads! I am lax in not bringing you more of these, they are out there!

https://www.tpomag.com/online_exclusives/2023/10/bug-of-the-month-tetrad-growth-and-volatile-organic-acid-substrate?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Read%20on&utm_campaign=TPO231020

My favorite though is Tardigrades! (Catchy tune to augment the video!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IH3ABle9k7A

I don't think I did a link to the wastewater variety from TPO though. So in case I didn't - here it is!

https://www.tpomag.com/online_exclusives/2020/10/bug-of-the-month-tardigrades-smaller-than-the-average-bear

Man Swirls Though Sewer System And Survives!

This is what I found in the handy publication yesterday, "Municipal Sewer & Water." I subscribe. You might want to as well.

Yup, I am too lazy to write at the moment, I have Pleurisy! Straight out of a 19th century novel! Not sewer related however. I do have more photos to post and will soon!

https://www.mswmag.com/online_exclusives/2023/07/news-briefs-man-survives-harrowing-journey-through-omaha-sewer-system?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Article%20Title%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%0ANews%20Briefs%3A%20Man%20Survives%20Harrowing%20Journey%20Through%20Omaha%20Sewer%20System%0AEnd%20Article%20Title&utm_campaign=MSW230718

Remember Arcata?

Most readers, meaning all of you in world-flung countries that never heard of Los Osos and aren't actually "reading" anyway - probably never heard of the push to do a "natural," cheaper, Arcata-like, wastewater treatment marsh in place of the state-of-the-art Tri-W project. To the two of you that actually read this (I am assuming one devoted but departed reader is no longer reading - there was three of you!), I recall that when I was running to be a director on the Los Osos Community Services District in 2006 that I got a call from a local on that topic (phone number in the "book" and never shied away from random calls). I explained the difference in rainfall between Los Osos and Arcata (44.4" per year). Los Osos' average is 15.77" per year (yes, stats will vary - 8" to 32" and lots of up and down - especially down - years in-between). Arcata was the "ideal," but not remotely possible for Los Osos due to lack of precipitation.

Well, the upshot is, Arcata is having to institute a "Wastewater Treatment Facility Improvement Project" to the tune of $54 million for Phase 1. PHASE 1! Read all about it here: https://www.madriverunion.com/articles/the-big-wastewater-plant-upgrade-is-underway/

Nothing is cheap. I always recall the cry, "We Delay, We Pay," in 2005 on numerous signs around town the I first arrived. Boy, was that ever true....

Soldiers Compete In Water Purification Rodeo!

 I couldn't believe it either, but here it is: https://www.tpomag.com/online_exclusives/2023/05/news-briefs-soldiers-compete-in-water-purification-rodeo?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Article%20Title%20%0ANews%20Briefs%3A%20Soldiers%20Compete%20in%20Water%20Purification%20Rodeo%0A%20End%20Article%20Title&utm_campaign=TPO230526

Bug Of The Month

 Here is the latest "Bug of the Month," water sponges! 

https://www.tpomag.com/online_exclusives/2023/03/bug-of-the-month-water-sponges-and-wastewater-treatment-plants?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Article%20Title%20%0ABug%20of%20the%20Month%3A%20Water%20Sponges%20and%20Wastewater%20Treatment%20Plants%0A%20End%20Article%20Title&utm_campaign=TPO230324

Sci Fi Sighting At The Sewer

The Regional Water Quality Control Board held a field trip on Friday, February 17, 2023 to our very own water reclamation plant - in other words, our sewer (dual purpose to this place—clean it up, ship it back to town)! 

You can find the agenda here: https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/centralcoast/board_info/agendas/2023/feb/agenda_feb.pdf

And the staff report here:

https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/centralcoast/board_info/agendas/2023/feb/item14_stfrpt.pdf

There was the opportunity to have the public attend, and I'll bet I was one of the first to sign up, if not the first. I haven't been back since the grand unveiling in 2016. http://losewersaga.blogspot.com/2016/04/dignitary-stuffed-ribbon-cutting.html

I can't possibly describe how much fun this was! I'm sure it held other meaning for the officials there, learning about the successes of recycling the water, seeing their edicts carried out to perfection, some time out of the office even, into fresh air and a cosmically beautiful setting for sewage treatment.

Yes, I said fresh air. There was NO SMELL, except where tubes were pumping sludge into giant bins for removal to someplace that I can't recall now. We moved upwind. In 2016, there was a faint earthy aroma around the big aeration and clarifier pools. Not this time.

There were so many people there that we broke up into three groups to tour, each led by a person that was an actual worker at the plant. The man who oversaw staff was there too, and I wish I was better on remembering names, plus I failed to write them down. The plant is beautifully run. The descriptions of what we were seeing as we toured were clear, understandable and fascinating!

I was highly impressed with the aesthetics. The place looked identically clean to how it did in 2016. In short, it was SPOTLESS. There was even a guy pulling weeds who deserves recognition. Not a stray blade anywhere. Pristine probably isn't an accurate enough word to describe what I found. I have seen restaurants less sanitary looking.

You probably did not grow up in the 1950s and 1960s like I did. You may not be a fan of old sci fi movie like I have been my entire life. The tall, rocket ship-like tank of some sort, the name of which I failed to get, brought me happily back to two favorite films. The Man from Planet X and The First Men in the Moon. All that was missing was the Martian.