I have sat here for a few hours trying to write something. I have been in a sort of shock. Actually kind of fearful and depressed. Our head of SLO County Public Works, who has been with us pre-County sewer inception, is moving on from leading a large department of 180 in eight divisions, to a tiny staff of six in the beleaguered Oceano Community Services District. Talk about a change!
Well, we will all just have to get past the surprise, fear and depression, as I know I can't be the only one.
Sometimes a large job change is just needed. The sewer project is virtually in the bag. Really, aside from the ribbon cutting, should there be one, it is over half way to being done completely, all the parts left to go are already in place. It is under careful and excellent oversight. The other County projects are in good hands. (The lawsuit from ARB is so nothing compared to the CSD's bankruptcy over stopping the Tri-W project. Besides, what's a Los Osos sewer project without litigation?)
Life needs challenges, not glide paths. Paavo, you have done a stellar job for us in Los Osos. You have been essential to getting this reluctant town critical infrastructure for its health and our continued residency here. You have my gratitude and that of many others as well. I wish you all the best. Especially the odd joys of getting in there and fixing something that is an acknowledged mess. Oceano is beyond lucky to get you! I look forward to reading about Oceano's future successes.
Read the Tribune's story off this link:
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/05/09/3058508/paavo-ogren-oceano-csd.html?sp=/99/100/&ihp=1
Saturday, May 10, 2014
Wednesday, May 07, 2014
CDO ALERT!
OK, the time has come for the CDO issue to be on the agenda for the next Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board meeting on Thursday May 22, 2014 here in SLO!
See Item 14 under,
Click the link to see the page with links to the relevant documents!
NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING
Thursday, May 22, 2014, 8:30 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Friday, May 23, 2014, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Central Coast Water Board Hearing Room
895 Aerovista Place, Suite 101, San Luis Obispo
See Item 14 under,
Discussion/Informational Items
Also of Los Osos' interest:
Friday, May 23, 2014, 9:00 a.m.
Closed Session
4. Los Osos CSD v. Central Coast Water Board (San Luis Obispo County Case No. CV 060146 (TSO 00-131)
6. Ken Berry, et al. v. Central Coast Water Board, et al. (Sacramento Superior Court; CEQA Challenge to Los Osos CDOs)
See you on Thursday, May 22!
The Softer Side of Sludge
Here is a very different take than SLO County's on sewer sludge at The Aichi Prefectural Toyo River Sanitation Center and other places in Japan:
http://mainichi.jp/english/english/features/news/20140505p2a00m0na002000c.html
The article states:
http://mainichi.jp/english/english/features/news/20140505p2a00m0na002000c.html
The article states:
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) set up a strategy team for such "sewer assets" last summer, and this April, a public relations campaign was spearheaded with the publication of the first-ever cookbook using recipes of food grown from this method.
BOS 5-13-14 Ad for Construction Bids!
Next Tuesday at the Supes, South Bay Boulevard from Los Osos Valley Road to SantaYsabel has the number one spot on the Consent Agenda for approving a bid for construction of Asphalt Overlay!
Bid Opening:
1. Letter transmitting plans and specifications (Clerk’s File) for 2013-14 Asphalt Overlay, South Bay Boulevard from Los Osos Valley Road to Santa Ysabel Avenue, Los Osos, CA, for Board approval and advertisement for construction bids. Bid opening date set for Thursday, June 12, 2014. District 2.
When the relevant documents are up on the Supes site, I will post them! The sooner South Bay Boulevard gets fixed, the better. Construction vehicles have taken their toll to its surface.
Tuesday, May 06, 2014
A Select Group We Are!
Many, if not most of us living in Los Osos, came from someplace else. Some from larger towns or cities with sanitary infrastructure already in place, maybe even RE-placed by the time we were using it. Some from houses that had a septic tanks already in use (or maybe you were on a replacement tank at that point, a step up from the redwood barrel that once served the earlier homeowners. Not too many from the hippie days of an outhouse off in a field I would guess, although there may be a few who had that unique experience. What one does while camping way out in the sticks does NOT count, unless you LIVED there for months or years).
Think about it, in 2016, WE of the PZ are going to go where very few of us have gone before! We are getting brand spanking new, fresh sewer pipes to... to... So—! how many of us HAVE EVER HAD pristine, new pipes to christen!
Their use might be a small unnoticed event for many or most perhaps, this emergence into the 21st century of urban life with something the Romans had centuries ago. But my first flush might just be the contents of a bottle of champagne: first to reflect on and honor the humble pipes that took years of battle, money, hard work and tears to place into the ground. And I'll do it too for a future without that ever present drone of sewer anger cautioning and framing acceptable speech amongst my new acquaintances here in Los Osos.
Think about it, in 2016, WE of the PZ are going to go where very few of us have gone before! We are getting brand spanking new, fresh sewer pipes to... to... So—! how many of us HAVE EVER HAD pristine, new pipes to christen!
Their use might be a small unnoticed event for many or most perhaps, this emergence into the 21st century of urban life with something the Romans had centuries ago. But my first flush might just be the contents of a bottle of champagne: first to reflect on and honor the humble pipes that took years of battle, money, hard work and tears to place into the ground. And I'll do it too for a future without that ever present drone of sewer anger cautioning and framing acceptable speech amongst my new acquaintances here in Los Osos.
Monday, May 05, 2014
Sewer Web Game!
Well, I couldn't get this to work. I installed the Unity Web Player for Mac (several times). "The Unity Web Player enables you to view blazing 3D content created with Unity directly in your browser, and autoupdates as necessary." But it never launched using either Safari, Chrome or Firefox, which it is supposed to do but wouldn't, due to some sort of update problem. Poop. (I don't have a PC anymore, so I couldn't try it there.)
So maybe you might want to see if you can play an outer space, on-line sewer game! Good luck!
http://www.ludumdare.com/compo/2014/05/02/it-came-from-the-sewer-the-post-mortem/
If it doesn't work for you either, the author made a cool time-lapse video of creating the game! You can see that here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlN8nSGgQlU
So maybe you might want to see if you can play an outer space, on-line sewer game! Good luck!
http://www.ludumdare.com/compo/2014/05/02/it-came-from-the-sewer-the-post-mortem/
If it doesn't work for you either, the author made a cool time-lapse video of creating the game! You can see that here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlN8nSGgQlU
Saturday, May 03, 2014
The Grim Future for Sewer Sludge in SLO-Co....
Sewer sludge aficionados probably do not exist in this county. Even the operators of the wastewater treatment plants that produce it are probably not that fond of it as it must be trucked out of the County, to Santa Maria or the San Joaquin Valley for disposal.
Of course, our wastewater treatment facility is not built yet, so this is more conceptual than personal to Los Osians at this point.......
At the Board of Supes Tuesday, May 6, 2014:
Of course, our wastewater treatment facility is not built yet, so this is more conceptual than personal to Los Osians at this point.......
At the Board of Supes Tuesday, May 6, 2014:
Hearings:
21. Hearing to consider an ordinance to continue the provisions and restrictions that were in place in the Land Application of Treated Sewage Sludge/Biosolids interim ordinance for a period of four years, and find the ordinance consistent with the previously approved Negative Declaration/Environmental Determination No. ED03-149. All Districts.
The relevant documents can be found here:
This is why it is not applied to land here:
Naturally, the sewage sludge industry feels differently about this!
The Times Press recorder tells us in an article published on March 25, 2013,
"The county’s 17 wastewater treatment plants generate 11,500 tons of sewage sludge annually, with the majority of the material 6,100 tons trucked to a composting facility in Santa Maria.
Some of the material does come back to the county in the form of fertilizer, while the other roughly 50 percent of the 11,500 tons of generated sludge is disposed of in landfills or hauled to the San Joaquin Valley for disposal."Some day we will be adding our own personal contributions to this amount shown above and those who have not pumped for many, many years will add the most - go Al's!
World's Largest Sewer Related Research Program Wins Award!
"Sewer Corrosion and Odour Research Program: Putting Science in Sewers."
Read about it here!
http://www.uq.edu.au/news/node/113663
Read about it here!
http://www.uq.edu.au/news/node/113663
Little Known Sewer Rat Factoid
Seriously....
Good info if you intend to become a sewer rat wrangler for the movies however!
https://twitter.com/GreatDismal/status/459566192273813504
Public service notice for rat rescue, sewer or otherwise:
http://www.rathelp.org/Shelters.html
Friday, April 25, 2014
April 22 Last Sewer Pipe Placed!
Check out KSBY's story on the last piece of sewer pipe going underground!
http://www.ksby.com/news/last-sewage-pipe-in-los-osos-wastewater-project-gets-installed/
John Waddell Project Manager explains that valves, manholes, road repaving and the actual plant construction are still ahead, but that this pipe part anyway, is done.
Yayyyyyy!
http://www.ksby.com/news/last-sewage-pipe-in-los-osos-wastewater-project-gets-installed/
John Waddell Project Manager explains that valves, manholes, road repaving and the actual plant construction are still ahead, but that this pipe part anyway, is done.
Yayyyyyy!
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Sewer Shoot Out!
From my Google feed today, a sewer game clip that was uploaded yesterday! Now the Los Osos sewer haters will never get to experience this sort of entertainment for real, and I'm sure that none would ACTUALLY do this anyway, plus our pipes are way too tiny, but the virtual, vicarious thrill of shooting around down inside a gravity sewer could be a real stress reliever. It is clear from watching the Board of Supes today that some could really use some stress relief too! No idea when the live version of the game will be available however.... Take a look!
https://vimeo.com/92518348
https://vimeo.com/92518348
Performance Art Show
Found item on Google last night when I was looking around on the topic of the Los Osos sewer.
https://www.transitionnetwork.org/projects/los-osos-sewer-and-power-plant
Not sure what to make of this; it is over a year since inception, yet there is nothing happening yet. My best guess from the information on the page is that a local artist is the originator of this idea which might be sort of amazing if it ever comes to fruition. I will be first in line to buy a ticket (actually, can I audition!?).
Anyway, this might be the guy but if it isn't you will be amazed at the gorgeous works of art anyway as a change of pace from a sewer blog (no, it isn't sewer art). Here is a link to the webpage of his sculptures which pretty much knocked my socks off (check out the other categories too):
http://www.tedemrick.com/sculptures/
https://www.transitionnetwork.org/projects/los-osos-sewer-and-power-plant
Not sure what to make of this; it is over a year since inception, yet there is nothing happening yet. My best guess from the information on the page is that a local artist is the originator of this idea which might be sort of amazing if it ever comes to fruition. I will be first in line to buy a ticket (actually, can I audition!?).
Anyway, this might be the guy but if it isn't you will be amazed at the gorgeous works of art anyway as a change of pace from a sewer blog (no, it isn't sewer art). Here is a link to the webpage of his sculptures which pretty much knocked my socks off (check out the other categories too):
http://www.tedemrick.com/sculptures/
Reminder Postcard
Did you get yours in the mail yet?
It came from the Public Works Department on Monday to our house and it is about the wastewater retrofit program. Did you need to upgrade your toilets, shower heads, sink faucet aerators to comply with the water conservation requirements of the California Coastal Commission's permit? Most of us do—or did for those of you who have already done so.
Click here to see the brochure that explains it all!
Click here to access the list of plumbers who can do your retrofit job!
Sadly, I got stuck on one part (everything else is done and we even got a new washing machine). A fancy kitchen faucet that puts out too much water. I E-mailed the company to see if they had a fix for that, but no response. The first plumber couldn't figure out how to restrict the flow. So I guess I will move on to the next one.
The rebates that we can get to help out with the costs will be reduced after 2014, so time to move on this!
Sunday, April 20, 2014
Got P**p?
I was driving around Los Osos the other day and spotted a pristine stainless steel tanker truck. There was a catchy phrase on the back, mimicking a very famous ad that we have all seen on TV and in magazines and on billboards for years, "Got Milk?"
The phrase was first used on TV ads where someone is eating peanut butter or something very dry and is asked to answer a question but can't, as their mouth is too puttied shut, and below their beseeching and stressed out face would be the words "Got milk?" with a voice-over of that phrase. Later print ads featured various famous people wearing very fake looking white milk mustaches. This phrase was a product of ad agency Goodby Silverstein and Partners created in 1993 and it ran until February of this year (although the phrase will still be used by the Milk Processing Board in California).
So I actually had to turn my car around, go back to park and get out to take a shot of the parody of this 20-year old ad slogan.
The phrase was first used on TV ads where someone is eating peanut butter or something very dry and is asked to answer a question but can't, as their mouth is too puttied shut, and below their beseeching and stressed out face would be the words "Got milk?" with a voice-over of that phrase. Later print ads featured various famous people wearing very fake looking white milk mustaches. This phrase was a product of ad agency Goodby Silverstein and Partners created in 1993 and it ran until February of this year (although the phrase will still be used by the Milk Processing Board in California).
So I actually had to turn my car around, go back to park and get out to take a shot of the parody of this 20-year old ad slogan.
Only in Los Osos.... and thanks goes to Al's Septic!
Friday, April 18, 2014
Bay News Letter Reveals Sewage Wedding Venue!
The April 17 to 23, 2014 Bay News had a very fun letter from Dan Glesmann in Morro Bay! Scroll to page 13 off this link:
http://www.tolosapress.com/managed_files/cms/BN%2004-17-14%20web.pdf
It is entitled, "Say 'I Do' Amongst the Poo." The letter was about Morro Bay's proposed sewer plant and how to pay for it. Mr. Glesmann writes about a goal setting workshop where an education center was brought up. He found an article in the Associated Press "Woodinville Wash.—A sewage treatment plant near Seattle is advertising its availability as a wedding venue." People pay money to hold a wedding there!
So because I have already reported on the Tillman Reclamation plant in the San Fernando Valley as being used as just such a venue, I found a couple of interesting links to this newly discovered place that does the same thing:
http://www.kingcounty.gov/environment/brightwater-center/facility/rental.aspx
http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2014/04/11/Brightwater-Wastewater-Treatment-Center-being-used-as-a-wedding-venue/6461397234418/
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/wastewater-treatment-plant-allowing-flushing-brides-grooms-marry-n78821
I couldn't find the Facebook page it has but check out this video!
http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/sewage-treatment-plant-advertises-wedding-venue/nfW7K/
Really, too late for us to add this to our plant (this plant is HUGE anyway), but some fun sewer reading nonetheless. (The plant is MBR and doesn't smell, remind you of anything?) Could this be in Morro Bay's future?
http://www.tolosapress.com/managed_files/cms/BN%2004-17-14%20web.pdf
It is entitled, "Say 'I Do' Amongst the Poo." The letter was about Morro Bay's proposed sewer plant and how to pay for it. Mr. Glesmann writes about a goal setting workshop where an education center was brought up. He found an article in the Associated Press "Woodinville Wash.—A sewage treatment plant near Seattle is advertising its availability as a wedding venue." People pay money to hold a wedding there!
So because I have already reported on the Tillman Reclamation plant in the San Fernando Valley as being used as just such a venue, I found a couple of interesting links to this newly discovered place that does the same thing:
http://www.kingcounty.gov/environment/brightwater-center/facility/rental.aspx
http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2014/04/11/Brightwater-Wastewater-Treatment-Center-being-used-as-a-wedding-venue/6461397234418/
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/wastewater-treatment-plant-allowing-flushing-brides-grooms-marry-n78821
I couldn't find the Facebook page it has but check out this video!
http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/sewage-treatment-plant-advertises-wedding-venue/nfW7K/
Really, too late for us to add this to our plant (this plant is HUGE anyway), but some fun sewer reading nonetheless. (The plant is MBR and doesn't smell, remind you of anything?) Could this be in Morro Bay's future?
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Semi-Sewer Related BOS Item Tuesday!
Read what is on Tuesday's Supe's agenda for enlightenment on SLO County bio-solids/sewage-sludge issue!
CONSENT AGENDA – REVIEW AND APPROVAL
Items Set for Hearing:
2. Introduction of an ordinance to continue the provisions and restrictions that were in place in the Land Application of Treated Sewage Sludge/Biosolids interim ordinance for a period of four years. Hearing date set for May 6, 2014. All Districts.
This item is meant notice a hearing to re-up an expired interim ordinance until a permanent ordinance can be crafted by or before March 2018 and includes the need for:
• Notification of the Public Health Department, Environmental Health Services Division 30 days prior to the land application of biosolids exceeding or equaling 5 cubic yards.
• Places a cap of 1,500 cubic yards on the cumulative total of exceptional quality biosolids that can be land applied in any 12-month period beginning with the adoption of this ordinance.
We will most likely be trucking the Los Osos' sewage sludge to Santa Maria when our plant is up and running and producing this stuff.
Monday, April 14, 2014
What's the Difference?
Another twist to our ongoing sewer saga........
One of the contractors on our sewer project has sued the County. You can read about it here:
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/04/12/3018515/county-denies-allegations-levied.html?sp=%2F99%2F100%2F&ihp=1
The other companies have not. Narrowing this down further, it is a pipe laying company that is doing the suing. Aside from working in different areas where there may or may not be much difference in the work, it is the SAME county administering BOTH of those pipe-laying contracts. So what is the difference? Why is one suing the County and the other one is not? We can guess of course, but do we really know? NO!
Suing someone is right out there in the public and I doubt anyone in the construction world won't have heard about this and wonder if hiring this company won't bring down on their heads the same sort of trouble.
Well, it is wait and see I guess if any of the legal proceedings to follow ever become public. It is at the usual stage for these things now, one side makes a complaint and the other side says no, that isn't how it was. Naturally, the sewer-naysayers are all over this, blaming the County for the trouble as they do weekly at the Board of Supes, basically rewriting how the sewer project came to be and never railing against all the rest of us for agreeing to THIS sewer at THAT cost. I guess that would just be too much work; there are five Supes and THOUSANDS of us.
One of the contractors on our sewer project has sued the County. You can read about it here:
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/04/12/3018515/county-denies-allegations-levied.html?sp=%2F99%2F100%2F&ihp=1
The other companies have not. Narrowing this down further, it is a pipe laying company that is doing the suing. Aside from working in different areas where there may or may not be much difference in the work, it is the SAME county administering BOTH of those pipe-laying contracts. So what is the difference? Why is one suing the County and the other one is not? We can guess of course, but do we really know? NO!
Suing someone is right out there in the public and I doubt anyone in the construction world won't have heard about this and wonder if hiring this company won't bring down on their heads the same sort of trouble.
Well, it is wait and see I guess if any of the legal proceedings to follow ever become public. It is at the usual stage for these things now, one side makes a complaint and the other side says no, that isn't how it was. Naturally, the sewer-naysayers are all over this, blaming the County for the trouble as they do weekly at the Board of Supes, basically rewriting how the sewer project came to be and never railing against all the rest of us for agreeing to THIS sewer at THAT cost. I guess that would just be too much work; there are five Supes and THOUSANDS of us.
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Legal Notice for Sunny Oaks on Sewer Lines
Check out the legal notice from the County's Department of Planning and Building! Tuesday's Tribune had a legal notice titled,
"NOTICE OF FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS."
Ultimately these funds will prepare the park for connecting to the Los Osos sewer system, read the excerpt below,
"Project Name: Sunny Oaks Mobile Home Park - replacement of water & sewer lines Project Description: A proposal to use federal CDBG funds provided through the County of San Luis Obispo to pay for replacement of existing water and septic / sewer lines inside of the Sunny Oaks Mobile Home Park, and also to prepare the mobile home park for connecting into the Los Osos community sewer system."
Read the full notice off this link:
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/classified-ads/ad/2576581
"NOTICE OF FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS."
Ultimately these funds will prepare the park for connecting to the Los Osos sewer system, read the excerpt below,
"Project Name: Sunny Oaks Mobile Home Park - replacement of water & sewer lines Project Description: A proposal to use federal CDBG funds provided through the County of San Luis Obispo to pay for replacement of existing water and septic / sewer lines inside of the Sunny Oaks Mobile Home Park, and also to prepare the mobile home park for connecting into the Los Osos community sewer system."
Read the full notice off this link:
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/classified-ads/ad/2576581
Wednesday, April 09, 2014
Dig's New Post for April '14
The "Thank the Workers" party got a mention! Pipeline construction is nearing the end on the major stuff (the minor stuff will go a few more months). Valves and manhole covers up next!
Read about it at this link:
http://www.diglososos.com/2014/04/07/dug-los-osos-wrapping-up-the-last-few-blocks/
Read about it at this link:
http://www.diglososos.com/2014/04/07/dug-los-osos-wrapping-up-the-last-few-blocks/
Friday, April 04, 2014
Bankruptcy-Sewer News
Stopping that last sewer project had horrible financial impacts on the Los Osos CSD (bankruptcy) among other things of course. Last night at the CSD meeting, Mike Seitz, general legal counsel to the CSD, reported out of the Board's closed session that Judge Riblet had signed the order to dismiss the bankruptcy, but the case will remain open for the next two years to accommodate the creditors. Multiple checks have been written to those many creditors to date.
In other financial news from the CSD last night was the mid-year budget adjustment. Since the solid waste franchise was transferred to the County on December 31, 2013 for $2.8 million to help pay for the bankruptcy, the income from this asset was terminated, so much shifting of monies to cover the deficit was required. This financial loss was decried by a couple of speakers who were both major players in causing this bankruptcy to happen, necessitating the sale of the solid waste franchise (bake sales presumably having failed to make up the deficit in CSD funds to cover the bankruptcy costs). Of course there was no shame or any recognition of culpability at all in their demeanor or speeches and much mud was flung at innocent parties to distract viewers from the speaker's moral lapse.
A "just-like-old-times" footnote: There was rich dramedy as these speakers attempted to shout over the loud, repeating beeps of the three-minute timer signaling the end of their public comment period. It was a pretty rowdy meeting too from the noise makers at the back of the room. CSD President Craig Baltimore had to rightly request the chatter and shouts to cease at the back of the room multiple times and had to ask one loudmouth to leave.
In other financial news from the CSD last night was the mid-year budget adjustment. Since the solid waste franchise was transferred to the County on December 31, 2013 for $2.8 million to help pay for the bankruptcy, the income from this asset was terminated, so much shifting of monies to cover the deficit was required. This financial loss was decried by a couple of speakers who were both major players in causing this bankruptcy to happen, necessitating the sale of the solid waste franchise (bake sales presumably having failed to make up the deficit in CSD funds to cover the bankruptcy costs). Of course there was no shame or any recognition of culpability at all in their demeanor or speeches and much mud was flung at innocent parties to distract viewers from the speaker's moral lapse.
A "just-like-old-times" footnote: There was rich dramedy as these speakers attempted to shout over the loud, repeating beeps of the three-minute timer signaling the end of their public comment period. It was a pretty rowdy meeting too from the noise makers at the back of the room. CSD President Craig Baltimore had to rightly request the chatter and shouts to cease at the back of the room multiple times and had to ask one loudmouth to leave.
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