Lacy's Observation

I wish I'd taken better notes last Thursday night at the Los Osos Community Services District meeting where "THE LETTER" was the most anticipated agenda item. An agenda item with no staff report as a friend noted. Odd, but the reason became clear once that Item 12 came up.

Lacy said something to the effect of getting away from partisanship around the dewatering issue and just explaining to the TV audience the basic facts around water, like how much is an acre foot, so people in TV-land would understand what we all were talking about (wisely presuming that they are not all sewer geeks like the in-house audience). Sort of educating the public as it were.

To recap from my article below on this topic, "THE LETTER" was to be (or not to be) the desired result of the discussion on whether to write to the Regional Water Quality Control Board demanding that they tell the County to tell the contractors to stop sending that trench de-watering water into the bay. You can see how this would be a "hair on fire" topic for those who stopped the last project, (stopping the even greater conservation efforts than the current project that it afforded the water supply starting back in 2008. Imagine, huge water savings since 2008! That's FIVE YEARS!) That's right, I was being facetious. But hey, what's not to hate about yet another sewer project if you can do it with a water fight!

OK, full disclosure, I spoke right before Lacy did and I was the ONLY speaker to unfailingly support the last project AND this project. The other speakers that night ranged in opinion from denying that we needed a sewer to throwing verbal rocks at the Supes at their almost weekly meetings for not stopping this "atrocity of a sewer" that is being built now. So I don't really know if she was referring to all of us who were giving our partisan opinions at the lectern or just mine, which was shouted at from the back of the room.

If you are new to this topic, the contractors are de-watering the trenches in the low-lying areas. The water is being used on the roads for dust control, re-absorption into the ground at Tri-W—the Mid-Town site—and that water which has no place else to go is going into the bay.

The impetus for writing then is, as a water purveyor, to save that water and stick it back into the ground somewhere.

Some salient points for this discussion however:

• No one at the meeting knew how much water was going into the bay; 

• Not one of the other two water purveyors was to be part of this letter, which brought up the obvious, "why not?" You'd think having just completed together a 300+ page Basin Report, on the future of ALL water use for Los Osos after six or seven years of work it would be odd that they would not act together IF the water supply was in jeopardy? (Weren't they asked? Didn't they notice or care?) Wouldn't the case to the Water Board be that much stronger if all three purveyors spoke with one voice? But then, if the water going into the bay wasn't quantified.............

In past weeks, some of the night's speakers had bandied about numbers like "eight to sixteen million gallons going into the bay DAILY!" at the Board of Supervisor's meetings, (those numbers given as a possibility in the Dewatering Plan for the trenches). At this meeting however, the number had been softened to "unknown" amounts.

I already see some holes in trying to make a persuasive case to the Water Board.....

Here is a much bigger hole. The Environmental Impact Report for the project (approved by the Water Board) states, 

"The findings of this study conclude the following:

• The impacts of shallow groundwater disposal during project construction would be less than significant if beneficially reused during construction (i.e., dust control and soil moisture conditioning of backfill soils) and/or disposed to storm drains or storm water percolation basins in accordance with RWQCB permit conditions....."

(Storm drains in case you were unaware, go into the bay.)

In that EIR you can also find this chart of water lost to the bay:

Now, in the spirit of educating the public, an acre foot of water is 325,851 gallons. Sweet Spring (at Sweet Springs) flows at the rate of 292 acre feet a year, making the yearly gallon amount lost to be 95,148,492. That is from ONE spring. Ninety-five MILLION. And there are other seeps and marshes along the bay. Of course this is going to vary from year to year depending on rainfall and septic returns and yard watering and all that, but at least we have an idea in a report written by experts.

So down to the pumping amount observed at the trenching by the bay as mentioned in the meeting: One six-inch pipe with an estimated 20 gallon a minute pump. That is 28,800 gallons in one day if it runs 24-hours. But does it? How many days has this gone on? We don't know. But isn't it water that would be draining into the bay anyway?

The Water Board knows these amounts. Here are some tidbits from the final EIR (or FEIR).

Appendix Q FEIR 

Page Q.5.2-1
Construction activities may require dewatering, however, the dewatering activities are not expected to substantially alter the quantity of existing groundwater supplies. Therefore, the proposed construction activities associated with the Preferred Project would result in a less than significant impact on groundwater supplies. 

Page Q.5.2-3
Based on a review of the additions and modifications of the collection system facilities, the Preferred Project may require additional dewatering of the existing groundwater supplies during short-term construction activities within the perched aquifer. Based on a review of the additions and modifications of the collection system facilities under the Preferred Project, no substantial dewatering of the existing groundwater supplies within the perched aquifer would occur.

Please see page 4 of this document for what the Water Board knows about the project. Really, read the de-watering part! It is right from the pen of the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board!

The LOCSD's letter was hastily drafted at the meeting and we don't yet know the final wording, but it basically says, "Water Board, tell the County to stop the contractors from de-watering to the bay and hurry up completing Broderson so we can put the water there instead." (Broderson is where most to the treated water will go once the wastewater project is on-line. It is close to completion.)

Did the LOCSD read the FEIR or the Water Board's staff report mentioned above? Will they look uneducated to make these demands? Would they ask, "where are the other water purveyors?" Could there possibly be any unintended consequences from this letter (where have we seen that before around a sewer project....), you know, like project delays, change orders, a longer time to complete the project? Or will the letter go unheeded, thereby giving the sewer-haters a new (old) target for vitriol, the Water Board!? 

Is caving to the unfounded demands of those who brought us the last hideous batch of unintended consequences the best path for the LOCSD? 

Well, good or bad, writing the letter certainly got those strident voices to calm down and blow the board kisses by the end of the meeting (those very same voices that had bashed the board at the prior meeting no less)!

So back to Lacy and her admonition about partisan politics. She may not know just how prescient she was with her wish. Who IS playing the politics here?

Dewatering Letter, To Bay Or Not To Bay?

Thursday, September 5, 2013, the Los Osos Board of Directors will have a discussion on the sewer contractors putting water drawn from trench dewatering into the bay. This had been a hot topic by the usual Los Osos speakers at the Board of Supes. To be decided: shall a letter be written to the Regional Water Quality Control Board asking them to tell the sewer contractors to stop putting water in the bay?

Two contractors ARB (access their early dewatering plan here*) and W.A. Rasic (access their early dewatering plan here**)  have needed to pump water out of the ground while digging trenches so that pipe can be safely installed. The water you see the contractors spraying on the roads for dust control is from the trenches. Water has been unloaded onto the Mid-Town Property (formerly known as Tri-W) by ARB and according to their plans, more water is to go to the Fairchild retention basin. Some water has been going down culverts as well, but quantity and source are unclear.

The comprehensive Dewatering Plan written by CDM Smith was released in March of 2012, but not until recently were the crews in the areas where dewatering needs to occur.

That plan states on page 1 (color emphasis mine),

"This report has a preliminary recommendation to use a four-stage approach. The first stage is to use water for construction use (dust control, etc.) since no groundwater retention sites will be available when work starts. Stage two would continue to utilize construction use and would add the new Mid-Town retention site and the existing retention basin sites for groundwater disposal while the Broderson leachfield system and the recycled water pipeline from the treatment plant to the Broderson effluent disposal site are being constructed. During stage three, when the Broderson leachfield site and the recycled water pipeline have been constructed, both the Mid-Town retention site and the Broderson leachfield site will be operational and construction of the gravity collection system and pump stations and force mains can then proceed with the necessary dewatering. The intent would be to pump discharged groundwater to the Mid-Town and public retention basins for land disposal and Broderson for back-up. Discharge to the Mid-Town and existing public retention sites augmented with the Broderson leachfield site appears to be a viable and cost-effective means to dispose of the anticipated flows. Flow estimates range from approximately 620 to 1,300 gpm for one dewatering area, and 2,500 to 4,900 gpm for four concurrent areas throughout construction. Groundwater production in excess of 6,500 gpm would require a fourth stage involving agricultural reuse along Clark Valley Road. This would be necessary only if the groundwater production exceeds what could be disposed of with the combined capacity of the construction use plus Mid-Town and existing retention sites plus Broderson leachfield site. Treatment and disposal to the storm drains are a possible optional disposal method."

This plan went before the Regional Water Quality Control Board September 6 & 7, 2012.

For background, the perched aquifer and upper aquifer are overfilled due to septic discharges and are presently dumping an estimated one million gallons into the bay daily and have been doing so for years (more conservative estimates are for 300,000 gallons per day). I asked John Waddell if this would stop when the sewer has been running for a while. He said no, there would still be some discharge. So some amount would seem to be a permanent condition.

The Regional Board has sent a letter to the County concerning this water August 7, 2013. There were many questions on the W.A. Rasic plan and just two on the ARB plan. I can't find this letter online or I would provide a link. No where in the letter does the Water Board accuse the contractors of malfeasance or illegal discharge.

Rasic needs to fill out their dewatering intentions in order of importance and more fully. Both ARB and Rasic need to explain their contingency plans for rainy season.

Questions for the LOCSD board should revolve around the information they divulge with their own meeting with County staff***. Has water actually been discharged to the bay and how much? How much water is actually being pumped out of the trenches? Have ARB and Rasic updated their plans to accommodate the questions by the Water Board? If not, when will this be done? If discharge to the bay is the only feasible option, when will the Water Board approve it? (October 9, 2013 is their next meeting as the September meeting was cancelled.) When is Broderson going to be ready to receive water? Once questions are answered, the need for a letter will emerge (or not). And a refutation of some of the really infeasible ideas, such as trucking water off site to unnamed destinations should be put to rest.

Given the information above on the disposal options, the bay may be our last hope if there is just too much water. But given the amount already leaking into it DAILY, panic as to lost water supply might be just another angry disapproval for this wastewater treatment plant by certain long-time critics than a dangerous condition for our water companies.


* June 14, 2013 is a more current plan, unfound online.

**July 23, 2013 is the date of the current plan but I couldn't find it online.

*** Only two Directors met with staff, so it was not a violation of the Brown Act.

Inextricably∞Tied

We have one source for water at present in Los Osos. Since water quality and quantity are so tightly tied to the present sewer project, and needing more of it is the reason for our future water infrastructure projects, it seemed worth a mention on this sewer blog. 

You have a new opportunity to get a water education and make suggestions on the future of our water at the Los Osos CSD's presentation of the Basin Plan by District Engineer Rob Miller on Thursday, August 29, 6:00 p.m. at the South Bay Community Center. See the announcement at this link:

http://www.losososcsd.org/Library/2013%20Agenda%20Packet/130829_LOCSD_SpecialMeetingAgenda.pdf

As some of you may be aware, the Draft Basin Plan, which is the impetus for this meeting, has been released for public review. I doubt droves of us are going to read the 300+ page full version, but a reading of the Executive Summary is not too tough and since the costs to fix things are included, it is really worth the read. Wastewater treatment is the first part of the big picture, creating a sustainable water supply so we can continue to live here is the second.

If you want to read the entire plan, you may download the entire 10mb file at this link:

http://www.slocountywater.org/site/Water%20Resources/Reports/pdf/Basin%20Plan%20Public%20Review%20Draft%208.1.2013.pdf

ALSO, another reason to put this information out here is to get as many of you as possible to show up at that meeting. For anyone with a vacant lot that they would like to someday build on, this meeting will be of interest. Realtors too might want to get educated. We should all care as none of us will be living here without water. 

No plans exist at this time to film the meeting (I hope that changes!), so show up to get the info yourself firsthand.

UPDATE: The meeting WILL be taped, so presumably a disc will be at the front desk some days later for home viewing.

July 2013 Project Update

You can find that report at this link:

http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Assets/PW/LOWWP/PM+Monthly+Update+July2013.pdf

Progress Report From Dig Los Osos

Pipeline construction 30% complete! Read about it here:

http://www.diglososos.com/2013/08/19/construction-update-pipeline-installation-one-third-complete/

Baseline Groundwater Quality Report Online!

Required by the Regional Water Quality Control Board as a condition of the Waste Discharge Permit, this report confirms again the need for a sewer.

http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Assets/PW/LOWWP/Baseline+Groundwater+Quality+Report+June+2013.pdf

ISJ Work Online Friday August 2, 2013

At the August 1 meeting of the Los Osos Community Services District, it was great news to hear that the very, very, very, very tardy ISJ work would become public on the LOCSD website August 2, sometime during the day. The Executive Summary and the Draft Basin Plan will be posted there, copies will go to the library and CDs will be available for check-out at the LOCSD office (remember, there are new office hours). The link to the site is here:

http://www.losososcsd.org/cm/Home.html

There will be sixty days of public review and a TBA presentation of the plan. All comments on the plan must be in writing, but it isn't clear to me just where these comments are to go.

How is this "sewer project information?" WATER! No dirty water, no sewer, but that is hardly the case here in LO. OK, it is a condition of the Coastal Commission permit for the project that there be a "Basin Plan."

This 2011 staff report gives a good overview, here is a cut'n'paste:

Los Osos Wastewater Project 

March 2011 Status Update

EXHIBIT “B”

UPDATES ON THE BASIN MANAGEMENT PLAN, THE HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN AND THE LOCAL COASTAL PLAN

Los Osos Groundwater Basin Management Plan

Efforts to reach a settlement under existing groundwater litigation are proceeding under the Interlocutory Stipulated Judgement (ISJ) process to develop a basin management plan to balance the basin for existing and build-out demand. The ISJ group, which consists of the County and the three community water purveyors (Golden State Water Company, Los Osos CSD, and S&T Mutual Water Company), released a basin update in May 2010, which includes the following:

• Estimates of the safe yield of the basin water supply were updated in 2009. The current demand, from all users, is theoretically within the safe yield according to Basin modeling. However, under the model the water purveyors need to redistribute their well pumping between the upper and lower aquifers and from west to east in order to balance the basin, and the model results need to be confirmed for actual Basin conditions.
• Recent monitoring has found that the rate of seawater intrusion has accelerated following three years of drought, particularly through advance “fingers”. 
• A peer review has found that the technical groundwater analysis and modeling provides usable results and can reasonably be used to implement a Basin Management Plan, provided there is ongoing monitoring and analysis. 
• The Los Osos Wastewater Project will include several actions that benefit the water supply in the community and be complementary to other basin management actions currently being considered.
• The water purveyors, through the ISJ efforts, are investigating many potential actions to incorporate into the Basin Management Plan in order to balance the basin and stop seawater intrusion.

The ISJ group intends to release a draft Basin Management Plan within the next few weeks. As stated in the May update, the overall basin yield is within the current demand and planned wastewater actions will provide additional benefit to the water supply through conservation and reuse. The result will be some additional supply for new development and, while not yet certain, it is hopeful that through the planning process and careful allocation of water resources there will be sufficient supply to meet build-out demand for the community.

Also useful to understanding how all the water measures fit into the big water puzzle is this document, The Water Conservation Implementation Plan for the Los Osos Wastewater Project.

Having done a bit of snooping, I found this link which suggested that there will be a "water market" and a "watermaster."

LO on the Next BOS Agenda

Consent Agenda - Public Works Items:

20. Submittal of a resolution adopting the Pre-Qualification Program for general contractors and electrical subcontractors interested in bidding on the Los Osos Water Recycling Facility, pursuant to Public Contract Code Section 20101, for the Los Osos Wastewater

Project, Los Osos. District 2

Link to relevant documents will be posted here when it is available.

Here it is:

http://agenda.slocounty.ca.gov/agenda/sanluisobispo/Proposal.html?select=2451

The project moves ahead another step!

June LOWWP Construction Report Online

Find it at this link:

http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Assets/PW/LOWWP/document+library/PM+Monthly+Update+Jul.+2013.pdf

Dewatering at Mid-Town (Tri-W for Old Schoolers)

Read the latest Dig Los Osos post which explains what is going on at Mid-Town:

http://www.diglososos.com/2013/07/25/dewatering-at-mid-town/

If you want to read the dewatering plan, click here.

Broderson—Explained

Dig Los Osos has a new post on the Broderson leach field and what is being done there to reuse the water returned from the treatment plant. Read about it at this link:

http://www.diglososos.com/2013/07/19/broderson-leach-field/

New Dig Post Shows 30% Pipes Complete!

Read all about it here:

/http://www.diglososos.com/2013/07/12/construction-update-pipeline-installation-30-complete/

Who Is Served?

I am rather bummed to be unable to attend the SLO Green Build presentation tonight. I really, really wanted to attend. And why I can't isn't relevant. But I'll be curious to find out who did attend and how did they find out about it? Was it not for the general public? How would Los Osos citizens get onto the MailChimp list with the announcement of the meeting? (I have been to other very informative events of theirs which is presumably how I got the e-mail as I left mine on a list.) Looking at their online calendar which anyone can view, this looks to be a regular meeting, no details are anywhere that I can find on their website, but on THIS particular topic, is it really "regular?"

The e-mail announcement made it sound like this was a meeting to educate Los Osos Prohibition Zone residents in helping us to achieve water use efficiency and conservation. And for us 4,200 septic tank owners, to learn how we might benefit the groundwater with their reuse with rain runoff instead of abandoning them. And this is a topic of much interest to many of us. We are sitting on the only water will have (discounting our limited rainfall), so conserving it is a message that is important to us all and bears repetition until everyone over the basin has heard it.

Will working parents drive to a San Luis Obispo hotel with a no-host bar? Will older people perhaps without much in the way of transportation attend this meeting in SLO? Was this meeting publicized on either the SLO County Los Osos wastewater website, the Dig Los Osos website or spoken about at the last Los Osos CSD meeting (or even tweeted by Dig Los Osos)? No, it wasn't. So maybe I have spilled the beans on this, my bad.

I hope that there will be a future meeting on this topic better aimed at Los Osos' PZ residents which will be held here in our town, at one of the usual venues, and at 7:00 p.m.. I imagine that this information will get published in a County mailer like the others we have received on the sewer project. But the more ways and the different approaches that we can have to this very important topic will be the most likely way to achieve optimum results.

Don't Miss Wednesday Night!

Don't know where my brain was earlier but this came (again) in the mail today. If you want to know what to do with your used septic tank in 2015, find out here:

Meeting program: Los Osos Wasterwater Project Update View this email in your browser   SLOGB Alliance Tomorrow! Los Osos Septic Decommissioning and Reuse Project (LOSDRP) Presenter: Mladen Bandov When: Tomorrow, July 3rd, 5:30 – 7:00 PM Where: Courtyard Marriott, 1605 Calle Joaquin Road, San Luis Obispo No Host Bar Mladen Bandov will discuss the Appropriate Technology Coalition's involvement with the Los Osos wastewater project. He will cover: The project's unique opportunity to apply appropriate technology for water efficiency and conservation.  How the Coastal Development Permit issued by the California Coastal Commission for the project requires the County of SLO to develop a Septic System Decommissioning and Reuse Plan. The decommissioning of approximately 4,200 septic systems in Los Osos  and the possible on-site reuse of the septic tanks and disposal components to provide stormwater runoff control and groundwater infiltration benefits.  The community outreach and education effort that is tailored specifically to Los Osos to maximize the success of decommissioning and reuse plan.  PROMOTE your company by hosting an Alliance meeting! Contact Kevin Hauber to learn more. The Green Building Alliance is a Team of industry professionals within the SLO Green Build Industry Department. We are dedicated to providing networking and education opportunities to SLO Green Build members, including certification and training.

May Construction Update Now Posted

Find the May report at this link:

http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Assets/PW/LOWWP/document+library/PM+Monthly+Update+May+2013.pdf

Dig Los Osos Explains Process

Read the latest post here on what the collection pipes coming to your neighborhood will look like:

http://www.diglososos.com/2013/06/21/construction-process/

Los Osos Sewer Biz at the BOS Tuesday.

Board Business:

53. Project status update and consideration of: 1) approval of an agreement for professional engineering services with HDR Engineering for Construction Management of the Water Recycling Facility, in the amount of $4,022,979; 2) approval of an amendment No. 6 with CDM Smith for Engineering Design Services during construction of the Collection System to increase the contract amount from $4,902,430 to $6,152,408; and 3) adoption of a resolution authorizing application for State Revolving Fund Loan, up to $15,000, for Homeowner Mini-Loan Program for the Los Osos Wastewater Project, Los Osos. District 2.

Access item documents off this link:

http://agenda.slocounty.ca.gov/agenda/sanluisobispo/Proposal.html?select=2313

Dig's Definitions!

Dig Los Osos has a new article today on construction terms — "wye" not go and check it out!

http://www.diglososos.com/2013/06/07/construction-terms/

Dig Los Osos News

Work to begin near Los Osos Valley businesses, 9th towards South Bay Boulevard. Read about that here:

http://www.diglososos.com/2013/06/05/work-to-begin-near-los-osos-valley-businesses/

Sewer Items off the BOS June 4 Agenda

Consent Agenda - Public Works Items:

19. Request to approve Amendment No. 1 with SWCA Environmental Consultants for biological monitoring on the Los Osos Wastewater Project, in the amount of $188,230, for a total contract amount including a $13,211 contingency, of $333,549. District 2.

http://agenda.slocounty.ca.gov/agenda/sanluisobispo/Proposal.html;jsessionid=1D940A44F75C396F58C3E5A30C54CAFF?select=2249

Closed Session Items:

33. I. PENDING LITIGATION (Government Code, section 54956.9.) It is the intention of the Board to meet in closed session concerning the following items: A. Conference with Legal Counsel-Existing Litigation (Government Code, section 54956.9(a).) (Formally initiated) 1. County of San Luis Obispo v. Giacomazzi, et al.; 2. County of San Luis Obispo v. Corr Family Properties;

The sewer progresses. I'll post a link to the documents on Consent when they are posted.

(Needless to say, Closed Session remains that: closed. We can listen for a report out after the lunch break to see if anything happened that is legally disclosable.)

About 25%!!!!

The latest posting from Dig Los Osos has some good news! Read about it here:

http://www.diglososos.com/2013/05/29/construction-update-work-about-25-complete/

The end of April stats show that the contracts from W.A. Rasic and ARB are about 25% complete! It is now almost the end of May and those numbers will only be up! Good news for residents and visitors. This IS progress!

Sewer Project Update Now Posted with April's Information

Check it out here:

http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Assets/PW/LOWWP/document+library/PM+Monthly+Update+Apr+2013.pdf

Extension Hearing on Title 26 at BOS May 21, 2013

32. Hearing to consider an amendment to Title 26 of the County Code, the Growth Management Ordinance, regarding fiscal year reference updates for the maximum number of new dwelling units allowed for the Nipomo Mesa area for Fiscal Year 2013- 2014 and extension of the allocation waiting list for Los Osos. Districts 2 & 4.

http://agenda.slocounty.ca.gov/agenda/sanluisobispo/Proposal.html?select=2186

Dig Los Osos Has a Spacial Notice for Monarch Grove Kid's Parents

Read about it here:

http://www.diglososos.com/2013/05/12/special-notice-to-monarch-elementary-school-parents/

Another Awesome Video!

Sometimes I google "Los Osos Sewer" just to see what will come up. This time, a months old video popped up! Since a sewer is coming to my block in a few weeks, this gave me an audio and a visual as to what to expect. Thank you Tom Bauman!

Los Osos Sewer Project - Construction Begins from Tom Bauman

Title 26 Growth Management Ordinance Hearing 5-21-13 at BOS

Los Osians with vacant lots, this is of interest to some of you. This was posted in the "Classifieds" section of todays' Tribune, under the heading "Legal."

TYPO in heading corrected from 16 to 26!

Rebate Reminder!

Dig Los Osos has a new posting reminding us of the County's water conservation rebate offer. If you haven't taken advantage of this yet, jump on in!

http://www.diglososos.com/2013/05/07/save-money-with-water-conservation-rebates/

Allocation Extension Amendment Introduction

Off the Consent Agenda for the BOS meeting on May 7, 2013:

Items Set for Hearing:

1. Introduction of an amendment to the Growth Management Ordinance, Title 26 of the County Code, to update the fiscal year references for the maximum number of new dwelling units allowed for the Nipomo Mesa area for Fiscal Year 2013-2014 and extension of the allocation waiting list for Los Osos. Hearing date set for May 21, 2013. Districts 2 & 4.*

The sewer project will not being completed by the date the last allocation extension for building was set to expire, so this has caused the need for another date extension. The allocation to be on this waiting list is described by the County as,

"1) no dwelling units are available and an allocation request is submitted to get on a waiting list; for example, the Los Osos moratorium area"

"To process an allocation to be placed on a waiting list, a “Request for Allocation” application must be completed and submitted. A $594.00 non-refundable fee must be submitted with the application for each new proposed residential unit."

To read more about what this means, follow this link:

http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Assets/PL/Allocations/Guide+to+Growth+Managment+-+Allocations-Allotments.pdf

You might also want to view the information at this link:

http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/planning/Property_Uses_and_Development.htm

As of the week of April 26, 2013, there are 196 allocations on the waiting list in the Los Osos Prohibition Zone.

* When the support documents to Item 1 are posted on the BOS site, I will add the link. Here it is.....

http://agenda.slocounty.ca.gov/agenda/sanluisobispo/Proposal.html;jsessionid=DE342F538779C31D4F688EC5F85491D7?select=2104

The March LOWWP Update Report Is Now Online!

Please follow the link to the March Construction Update to see what the sewer accomplishments were for last month:

http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Assets/PW/LOWWP/News+Archives/PM+Monthly+Update+Mar2013.pdf

This update also includes where work is scheduled to go next. Some cool pictures accompany the report!

Bicycle Riders—Heads Up!

New Post from Dig Los Osos inspired by Los Osos resident and San Luis Obispo Bicycle Club member Dave Abrecht. If you ride a bike around Los Osos, please read the article at this link:

http://www.diglososos.com/2013/04/19/improve-your-bike-skills-in-los-osos/

Supes Look at More Recycled Water Sales Next Tuesday

Off the Public Works portion of the Consent Agenda:

18. Request to approve agreements for delivery of recycled water for agricultural purposes related to the Los Osos Wastewater Project with Les and Mary Lou Goodwin; and Earl May. District 2.

You can find this items agenda items at this link:

http://agenda.slocounty.ca.gov/agenda/sanluisobispo/Proposal.html?select=2063

Jeff Lewis's Cool Video!

(Click the photo or the link below.)

Mr. Lewis's YouTube time-lapse video of the laying of sewer pipe April 11 on Highland Drive was given a showing at today's Board of Supes. Rather balletic I'd say! Beautifully done with peppy music too. Even those of you not sewer obsessed will like this one! (I have viewed it 4 times so far.) http://youtu.be/84vn2AiQpqc

Since Mr. Lewis says, "I hope you liked it" at the end, I'll answer. YES! Thanks for making the video and sharing it with us!

Solid Waste NOT Related to the Sewer Project

Dig Los Osos has a new post, a notice from Mission Country Disposal. Their pick-up times have been altered to accommodate the sewer project.

Here is what Mission Country sent to residents:

NOTICE

Los Osos and Baywood Park

Starting Monday, April 15th, the service time for your Trash, Green Waste, and Recycle containers will change to 5:30 A.M. This will allow our trucks to service the areas around and in the construction zone safely and help reduce traffic congestion in the construction zone areas. Please have all of your containers out at the curb the night before your scheduled service day. If you have any question please contact our office at 805-927-4995.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Mission Country Disposal

So remember to get those cans out extra early or the night before, starting next Monday, April 15.

Routine Sewer-Related Task at the Planning Commission

Growth Management Ordinance, Title 26 of The San Luis Obispo County Code To Be Amended (if the Planning Commission agrees which it seems likely to do)

Thursday, April 11 2013, the Planning Commission will hear a request by the County to extend the allocation waiting list for the community of Los Osos beyond June 30, 2013 to allow time for completion of the community sewer system. (Nipomo is getting tweaked as well under Item 3.) Jo Manson, Project Manager, recommends that the Board of Supervisors approve this extension.

You can read the staff report here:

http://slocounty.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=3&event_id=120&meta_id=261567

Look at point 2 under "Discussion" for the part about Los Osos. 

What this means that all deferred allocations for building won't expire on June 30, 2013 as it normally would, as that as the date set for unused allocations to expire from the last time this document was amended in 2009. But as allocations have no chance to be acted on due to the lack of a sewer, the date is requested to be extended to June 30, 2016.

Friday's Follow Up!

Today I had my water saver pre-inspection to see what needed to be changed to pass inspection to get some of that rebate money. I knew some things would pass, like the dual flush toilet (1.6 and .9 gallons per flush) and the single 1.6 gpf toilet (that seemed SO water saving a few years ago…..and I guess it was compared to what we had before). There is no money for changing out to a 1.28 as so little water savings would ensue it wasn't included as a recommendation to do in the report that was generated to pick the best ways to save (see the Maddaus Report OR "Water Conservation Implementation Plan for The Los Osos Wastewater Project").

More of concern were the fixtures in the bathrooms and the faucet in the kitchen. There seemed to be no way to modify them at all and it was depressing to think that the fancy fixtures that we spent days picking out (and a fair amount of money on) might need to go to recycle-land.

So the appointed hour arrived and the young woman water auditor arrived and the tests began. She used a 5-gallon paint bucket (mostly to carry the measuring device—to keep water off your floors, although there was a chart on the side which she consulted once) and what looked like a mixer bowl for making pancakes with a handle and measurements marked on it. She held the mixer bowl under the water flow and timed the water coming from each shower and faucet. The amount in the bowl indicated either a pass or a no-pass. She was quite fast about doing the whole thing, and really nice answering all of my dopey questions too.

Here's what I learned:

• The amount the fixture says it will deliver on the literature varies in reality greatly. Two identical bathroom faucets delivered different amounts, (both under the limit, thank goodness). Not sure if the difference was a change in water pressure in the two locations, or because one spout is deck mounted and one is wall mounted.

(The camera lens is exaggerating the spout diameter, it is uniform!)

• Both our showerheads are identical models, but the valve on one is fixed, the water is on or off, you adjust the temperature by rotating the handle (this one did not pass at almost 3 gpm) and the valve on the other, while rotating to the desired temperature, also pulls out to give more or less of a spray (this one passed at almost 2gpm).

• The kitchen sink faucet, rated to go up to 2.2 gpm with no apparent way to add an aerator, did not pass with an output of slightly over 2 gpm, but it can be modified by removing a little plastic disc in the center and putting in an aerator! Thank goodness. That one was another agonizing fixture to pick out. A $5.00 rebate applies and I am good with that.

• If a plumber can find a way to restrict the output on the one shower that is at almost 3gpm to down 2 gpm or less, it will pass inspection, but no rebate as it will not be replaced. I will find out and report later.

• Fixtures deliver water influenced by water pressure in the neighborhood and in your individual house too. What the fixture is rated to deliver is only the maximum it could deliver, not what it will deliver.

• New showerhead designs are coming out all the time, so if nothing matches the style that you have now, you might wait a bit and find one a little later on.

• So now what else can I do to save water and get a rebate? Our dishwasher is new, so it already saves water, no need to replace that. And the only way to have gotten money toward a recirculating pump (my first choice for an improvement) was to have both toilets at 1.28 or less and all faucets at 1.5 gpm, so we didn't quality there. But our washer is a top-loading antique. That is our best bet for the $150 rebate level.

Off Topic Here!

Have you been getting cheesy robo calls for a septic tank treatment? I got two tonight for the same stuff and this is the third time they have called, that I know of anyway. Something called "Proactiv" that "Cleans up your leach field and prevents clogging!" And "Never pump your tank again!"

I say baloney and besides, the only "Proactiv" stuff I can find online is an acne cure! One in the same perhaps? 

Too bad this stuff doesn't activate the "Do Not Call" designation I signed up for. I'd buy some and soak my phone in it if it did.

One More Step

The sign at the entrance to the Los Osos treatment-plant-to-be is now posted on LOVR right past the cemetery heading east. According to Bruce Gibson at his last Office Hours on March 28, the Giacomazzi property has been secured and is awaiting the formal process of creating a public lot (out of the otherwise farmland—only 24.5 acres of  the 100.29 acre parcel are to be used for the wastewater treatment plant). One more step forward toward sanitation.

What I Found Out

I went to the project office today at 2025 Tenth Street to find out about my lateral and what could be done about faucets that have no visible means of modification to reach the targeted goals of 1.5 gallons per minute or less. (I had gone online and found that my unmodifiable kitchen faucet for instance could put out 2.5 gpm, yikes!)

I met Michelle Houser who is the Community Liaison and who is really someone interested in getting you to the right place for answers. Very helpful! (Don't be bashful, she will put you at ease immediately!)

Michelle told me that I will need to get a pre-inspection on my faucets and the contact person to schedule that is Ray Dienzo at 788-6633. He is the Water Conservation Manager. That number will get you to a message service and he will call back as soon as humanly possible, but it might take two days, the office has been swamped lately.

Next person I needed to see was the "lateral guy," and I don't know if the same person fills that role every day that the office is open or not, but I met with Tim Cate at the next desk over who also was really helpful and perfectly patient with my endless questions. I had a whole-neighborhood lateral print-out I had made from a pdf file that had been sent to me ages ago by a Public Works guy and it really didn't mean much to me. I needed a translator!

Apparently mine was the same file from the old project and it was in Tim's big book of lateral plans. I have heard other parts of town had some lateral changes, so if you are concerned where your lateral actually is, do visit the Tenth Street office and get the guided tour.

Tim brought up my house on Google Earth Street View so he was able to show me the side of my property where the lateral will go. Many of us have ignored where the right of way actually is and filled in that big blank spot with flowers (OK, some weeds too) and in my case a bear statue. I will need to plan for eight feet to be cleared around where the lateral will go in that right of way. I can be less wide than eight feet where I pick up the line past the County-easement part on my property, I intend to hire a person to hand dig it the rest of the way to save as many plants as I can. Rotator cuff surgery is my excuse not to dig it myself!

Here is something else I learned. The County won't be allowed to dig up any trees. So if a tree has grown on top of the path to your lateral, you might want to find out how to handle that. You might need a re-route of your lateral, and as I said yesterday, time is almost up to make those changes. I see trees cut down all the time around here, but have no idea if the proper procedure was followed or not. I found this general ordinance online for us in the Coastal Zone,

"Coastal:

No tree over 8” in diameter at 4’ from the ground may be removed or killed unless a permit is first issued.   A permit can only be issued if the tree meets certain criteria.   If you feel you have a hazardous tree, or one that is damaging utilities or your house, please call us for an inspection."
http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/planning/Ordinance_Compliance_and_Enforcement/Code_Enforcement_Frequently_Asked_Questions.htm

Don't be caught flat-footed when lateral time comes to your house!

Expect to see a stake placed in your yard prior to construction on your street. This is where your lateral will go. Don't forget to visit the interactive map to see the estimated time that construction will begin on your street. Be sure to check back frequently as due to the nature of construction, especially in this archeologically sensitive area, your time may have shifted. Here is the link, and click on as close as possible to where your house actually is to get an accurate reading!

https://gisapps.hdrprojects.com/LosOsos/index.html

I lucked out on a slowdown in the pre-inspection office, I got a call back from Ray less than two hours later! My appointment is for Friday at 1:00 - I'll report how that went!

Check Your Mailbox

Perhaps yours has already arrived, mine did on Monday—the latest brochure from the County. It is all about indoor water conservation and the rebate program for retrofitting your old fixtures with new water saving ones. Best to strike while the rebate amount is the highest, rather then waiting until the last minute when the rebate goes down!* Retrofitting is a condition to be met in order to hook up to the sewer. Find the brochure at this link:
http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Assets/PW/LOWWP/Brochure.pdf

The goal of the program is to get us PZers all down to 50 gallons per person per day for indoor water use.

For some of us who have already retrofitted toilets, shower heads and faucets, there are optional rebates for extra-efficient toilets, clothes washers and other appliances. I waste the most water waiting for the hot water to arrive at the sink farthest away from the water heater. I feel guilty about wasting it, but don't fancy hauling buckets around. I'm going to call about a water circulating pump that pumps hot water through the house so any faucet will have hot water instantly (they are on timers, so you don't waste electricity pumping it around when you are asleep). I'll keep you posted on whether or not this sort of device qualifies.

Another concern of mine is fancy and/or expensive shower heads and faucets that have no visible means of attaching an aerator. What if they do not quality as low-flow? Did anyone save the packing materials to know what the flow is? I recall months ago seeing someone representing some company at some meeting that was looking for the retrofit job. He said they had ways to make the fancy fixtures that seem impervious to modifications to qualify. I will see what I can find out about that too. (I have no idea how to test my faucets, so I am going to call for an inspection to find out—788-6633.)

The "Water Saver Rebate Application" is part of the brochure.

FINAL NOTICE! Also included in this mailer is the notice of "last call on the last chance to request a move of your sewer lateral." Really, if you want it moved to avoid landscaping, hardscaping, or whatever, this is it! Too bad, so sad when the construction comes to your street, there will be no moving it then!

* NOTE: the toilet and shower head installation rebate is only available through 2013. So don't wait and lose out on that!